Varieties of deverbal nominalization

There are a number of ways of forming, from an adjective, an abstract noun which describes the property associated with the adjective. Most typically these use the suffix -ness—as in happiness, brightness—but they can involve other morphological processes, illustrated by merriment, falsehood, length and heat. There are also a number of ways of deriving a noun from another noun with a different meaning. For example, X-ist describes a person associated with X, which could be a person, a thing or an idea; for example, Platonist, clarinettist, motorist, humorist and leftist. There are many other processes—childhood is the state or period of being a child, spoonful is the measure of what will fill a spoon. These types of nominalization are not dealt with in the present volume (they can be followed up in Marchand 1969).

What we focus on here are the nine varieties of nominals derived from verbs. These will be briefly listed, and then each discussed in detail.

1. Nominalization describing a unit of activity, Unit-nom, as shout in Mary’s loud shout frightened the sheep.
2. Nominalization just describing an activity, Activity-nom, as shouting in Mary’s loud shouting wakened me up.
3. Nominalization describing a state, State-nom, as dislike in John’s active dislike of porridge puzzled Aunt Maud.
4. Nominalization describing a property, Property-nom, as resemblance in Mary’s close resemblance to her grandmother was commented on.
5. Nominalization describing a result, Result-nom, as arrangement in The arrangement of flowers adorned the coffee table.
6. Nominalization describing an object, Object-nom; for example, converts (those who are converted), payment (that which is paid).
7. Nominalization describing the locus of an activity, Locus-nom; for example, trap, entry.
8. Nominalization describing a volitional agent, Agent-nom, as killer, organizer.
9. Nominalization describing an instrument or material used in the activity, Inst-nom; for example, mower (machine used to mow with), swimmers (garment to wear when swimming).