Nominalisation: Difference between revisions

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{{tag|Nominalisation}} is, itself, a nominalisation of the verb to "nominalise". Goedel would be pleased.
{{tag|Nominalisation}} is, itself, a nominalisation of the verb to "nominalise". Goedel would be pleased.


{{plain|[have visibility of]]|see}}
{{plain|issue a notification to|tell}}
{{plain|issue a notification to|tell}}
{{plain|have a discussion about|discuss}}  
{{plain|have a discussion about|discuss}}  
{{plain|we are supportive of|we support}}
{{plain|we are supportive of|we support}}
{{plain|have the appearance of being|appear to be}}<br />
{{plain|have the appearance of being|seem to be}}<br />


[[Nominalisation]] is the act, as adored by [[mediocre lawyer|solicitors]] as it is loathed by anyone who cares for the English language, of gutting a precise {{tag|verb}}, by converting it into a {{tag|noun}} and jamming a general {{tag|verb}} in front of it.  
[[Nominalisation]] is the act, as adored by [[mediocre lawyer|solicitors]] as it is loathed by anyone who cares for the English language, of gutting a precise {{tag|verb}}, by converting it into a {{tag|noun}} and jamming a general {{tag|verb}} in front of it.  

Revision as of 16:55, 24 January 2018

Nominalisation is, itself, a nominalisation of the verb to "nominalise". Goedel would be pleased.

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 to be”?

Nominalisation 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:

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