Search
Listen on:
Follow me:
Search
Listen on:
Follow me:
Home » Discussion Forum—A Way with Words, a fun radio show and podcast about language

Discussion Forum—A Way with Words, a fun radio show and podcast about language

A Way with Words, a radio show and podcast about language and linguistics.

Discussion Forum (Archived)

Please consider registering
Guest
Search
Advanced Search
Forum Scope


Match



Forum Options



Min search length: 3 characters / Max search length: 84 characters
Search
The forums are currently locked and only available for read only access
sp_TopicIcon
Verb-ing?
Guest
1
2009/01/13 - 10:12am
Print

Hey again,

I'm also wondering,

Is there a rule for turning certain nouns into verbs (i.e. to spearhead, to shoehorn, to weasel)? It seems as if this is only a modern phenomenon in linguistics. As such, do you know if this is unique to the English language?

Thanks! Take care.

Guest
2
2009/01/14 - 6:25am
Print

My favorite new one is 'medal' as in:  'Will she be able to medal in this event?' It is an interesting question, as to whether we really need a new word or use of a word, the speaker just does not know  another way to say it, or something entirely different. 

Guest
3
2009/01/14 - 2:00pm
Print

There's nothing exclusively modern about "verbing" nouns.  Shakespeare did it pretty regularly.

Forum Timezone: UTC -7
Show Stats
Administrators:
Martha Barnette
Grant Barrett
Moderators:
Grant Barrett
Top Posters:
Newest Members:
A Conversation with Dr Astein Osei
Forum Stats:
Groups: 1
Forums: 1
Topics: 3647
Posts: 18912

 

Member Stats:
Guest Posters: 618
Members: 1268
Moderators: 1
Admins: 2
Most Users Ever Online: 1147
Currently Online:
Guest(s) 26
Currently Browsing this Page:
1 Guest(s)

Menu

Recent posts