Conversion: A typological and functional analysis of the morphophonological structure of zero-derivation in English word formation.

Abstract

It will be argued that the phenomenon of conversion or zero-derivation, typical of marginally inflected languages, such as English, solves the problem of word formation without affixal attachment to the base (Spencer 2001, Plag 1999, Beard 1998, Katamba 1993, Bauer 1988, et al.). The scope of this study is to expose the most productive cases of conversion and show how the unmarked derivational affix may produce new words at the same pace as an overt form. Moreover, it will be shown that being a stem language, ModGreek exhibits instances of conversion by using identical stems for both Nouns and Verbs.