Nominalisation: Difference between revisions

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{{plain|we are supportive of|we support}}<br />
{{plain|we are supportive of|we support}}<br />


[[Nominalisation]] is the act, as adored by [[mediocre lawyer|solicitors]] as it is loathed by anyone having any kind of fondness for the English language, of emasculating a perfectly usable {{tag|verb}} by making it into a {{tag|noun}} and jamming a more boring {{tag|verb}} in front of it. The ''cause célèbre'' of nominalisations — a solicitor’s very favourite — is “to be [[applicable]]”. Here the very respectable noun “[[apply]]” is saddled with a ghastly suffix and made to give up its exciting role as a “doing” word for the comparative lassitude of being a person, place or thing — an abstract thing, at that — whilst leaving that irregular catchall “to be” to have all the fun (as it so often does — or does not; for ''that'' is the question) as the verb.  
[[Nominalisation]] is the act, as adored by [[mediocre lawyer|solicitors]] as it is loathed by anyone having a fondness for the English language, of emasculating a perfectly usable {{tag|verb}} by making it into a {{tag|noun}} (or {{tag|adjective}}) and jamming a more boring {{tag|verb}} in front of it.  


But at what cost to the reader? Without thinking on it, choose your favourite:
===[[Effect]]ing a nominalisation: grammatical cross-dressing===
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]].


''This clause '''applies'''.'' <br>
''This clause '''is applicable'''.'' <br>


===[[Effect]]ing a nominalisation: grammatical cross-dressing===
{{seealso}}
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]].
*[[obligated]]

Revision as of 11:19, 31 March 2017

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”?

Nominalisation is the act, as adored by solicitors as it is loathed by anyone having a fondness for the English language, of emasculating a perfectly usable verb by making it into a noun (or adjective) and jamming a more boring verb in front of it.

Effecting a nominalisation: grammatical cross-dressing

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.


See also

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