Nominalisation

Abstract

In this chapter, I introduce the descriptive system needed to address the semantics of noun formation in general and morpho-lexical alternation in particular. To sketch the system, I divide the chapter into five sections. In section 1.1, I look at the area of suffixation and specify the questions that require investigation. In section 1.2, I provide an overview of the stances of the theoretical paradigms on the issue of morpho-lexical alternation. This section is subdivided into two parts: the first part displays the formalist paradigm and the hypotheses it embraces, while the second part exhibits the functionalist paradigm and the hypotheses it subsumes. In section 1.3, I propose a new approach to the topic, outlining its skeleton, goals, and procedures. In section 1.4, I elaborate on the models of analysis within which my treatment of nominal suffixation is conducted. The first part of section 1.4 focuses on the fundamental tenets of the theoretical approach, namely, Cognitive Semantics. The second part of section 1.4 singles out the techniques of the empirical approach, namely, Corpus Linguistics. In section 1.5, I sum up the chapter.