Nominalisation: Difference between revisions
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:{{plain|we are supportive of|we support}} | :{{plain|we are supportive of|we support}} | ||
:{{plain|have the appearance of being|seem}}<br /> | :{{plain|have the appearance of being|seem}}<br /> | ||
===[[Effect]]ing the worst kind of nominalisation=== | ===[[Effect]]ing the worst kind of nominalisation=== | ||
The ''worst'' kind of nominalisation goes a step further: not only must the poor {{tag|verb}} dress up as a noun; an equally unsuspecting {{tag|noun}} must behave like a verb. “[[Effect]]” is this kind of [[nominalisation]]: | The ''worst'' kind of nominalisation goes a step further: not only must the poor {{tag|verb}} dress up as a noun; an equally unsuspecting {{tag|noun}} must behave like a verb. “[[Effect]]” is this kind of [[nominalisation]]: | ||
:{{plain|effect the conversion of shares|convert the shares}} | :{{plain|effect the conversion of shares|convert the shares}} | ||
{{ | {{sa}} | ||
*[[Adjectivisation]] | *[[Adjectivisation]] | ||
*[[Of]] - a dead giveaway. | *[[Of]] - a dead giveaway. | ||
*[[To be]] - the feeblest of all verbs. | *[[To be]] - the feeblest of all verbs. | ||
*[[Obligated]] | *[[Obligated]] | ||
{{ref}} | {{ref}} | ||
Revision as of 13:42, 31 July 2019
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Towards more picturesque speech™
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Nominalisation — itself, a nominalisation of the verb to "nominalise"[1] — is the act, as adored by solicitors as it is loathed by anyone who cares for the English language, of gutting a precise verb, by converting it into a noun and jamming a general verb in front of it.
Or should I say:
- Nominalisation is the act, which induces adoration in solicitors as much as it effects a sensation of loathing in anyone having a fondness for the English language, of ensuring the evisceration of a precise verb by effecting its conversion into a noun (or adjective) and ensuring the jammery of a general verb in front of it.
Dead give aways:
- the string “ion of”
- gerunds
- infinitives
Examples
- Why say “have visibility of” when you mean “see”?
- Why say “issue a notification to” when you mean “tell”?
- Why say “have a discussion about” when you mean “discuss”?
- Why say “we are supportive of” when you mean “we support”?
- Why say “have the appearance of being” when you mean “seem”?
Effecting the worst kind of nominalisation
The worst kind of nominalisation goes a step further: not only must the poor verb dress up as a noun; an equally unsuspecting noun must behave like a verb. “Effect” is this kind of nominalisation:
- Why say “effect the conversion of shares” when you mean “convert the shares”?
See also
- Adjectivisation
- Of - a dead giveaway.
- To be - the feeblest of all verbs.
- Obligated