Can "verb" be a verb?

[acl03]

I know it's mostly slang, but is there a term to describe the use of a noun as a verb?

Example: I got elbowed in the face!

My friend and I used to call this process "verbing".

nerd/programmer alert: We always said, since we called it "verbing" that it was the first and only recursive joke.


Thanks,
Andrew

Hard work often pays off over time, but procrastination pays off right now!

 

[DansDadUK]

... as in the index entry:

recursive: see recursive

 

[BadBigBen]

Verbification, is what I used to use for that process and NO it is not mostly slang, it is a regular part of the English language!

The phenomenon doesn't have a special name in English linguistics, but verbing is a good self-demonstrating mnemonic name, so why not use it?

There is a name for verbing and nouning and otherwise changing the Word Class (or, as word class was called in Latinate grammar, part of speech) without benefit of suffix. It's called Zero Derivation.

source: John Lawler, Linguistics Department and Residential College, University of Michigan


according to Wikipedia, we are both correct...

Verbification, or verbing, is the creation of a verb from a noun, adjective or other word.

source: Conversion (linguistics)

Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[SamBones]

On the "recursive" tangent, there was a glossary of computer terminology, I believe from Microsoft, that had these entries...

Infinite Loop: See Loop, Infinite

Loop, Infinite: See Infinite Loop

An example of defining by example, I guess.

 

[BadBigBen]

Sam,

I like that one...

Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"