{"id":397,"date":"2017-09-07T11:31:46","date_gmt":"2017-09-07T11:31:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/unccwrc\/?p=397"},"modified":"2017-09-07T16:50:53","modified_gmt":"2017-09-07T16:50:53","slug":"nominalizations-know-them-try-not-to-use-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/unccwrc\/blog\/2017\/09\/07\/nominalizations-know-them-try-not-to-use-them\/","title":{"rendered":"Nominalizations- know them; try not to use them."},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cWhen ideas fail, words come in very handy.\u201d- Goethe<\/span><\/i>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Nominalizations.  <\/span>What are they?<\/b>  A nominalization is when a word, typically a verb or adjective, is made into a noun.  <\/span><\/p>\n

Why do we need them?<\/b>  Because it is often useful to identify what a thing<\/span> is<\/span><\/i> rather than what it is doing or what it is describing.  You will write with more fluency if you are aware of both the root forms of nominalized words and how to nominalize familiar and unfamiliar words.  Since it’s English, there are plenty of exceptions, but there are many common suffixes that will help you to recognize nominalizations.<\/span><\/p>\n

Suffixes like: -tion (operation), -sion (comprehension) -ty (flexibility), -ness (happiness), -ment (commitment), -ance (governance), and -ence (conference), -ism (capitalism), -ury (usury).  <\/span><\/p>\n

Here are some words with <\/b>common <\/b>suffixes:<\/b><\/p>\n

nominalized verbs<\/i>: <\/strong><\/p>\n

From prohibit\u2013> we get prohibition,<\/span><\/p>\n

from systematize\u2013>we get systematization,<\/span><\/p>\n

And from nominalize\u2013> we get nominalization.  <\/span><\/p>\n

nominalized adjectives<\/i>:<\/strong><\/p>\n

From difficult\u2013>we get difficulty,<\/span><\/p>\n

From facile\u2013>we get facility (as in <\/span>with facility or ease<\/span><\/i>),<\/span><\/p>\n

And from hopeless\u2013>we get hopelessness.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Here are some <\/b>less common<\/b> suffixes: <\/b><\/p>\n

(- al)<\/strong><\/p>\n

from refuse–>we get refusal <\/span><\/p>\n

from renew–> we get renewal<\/span><\/p>\n

Note that the suffix -al may not always constitute a nominalization. It can also be used to convert a noun into an adjective, as in autumnal.<\/span><\/p>\n

(-ure)<\/strong><\/p>\n

from fail–>we get failure<\/span><\/p>\n

from censor–>we get censure<\/span><\/p>\n

from expose–>we get exposure<\/span><\/p>\n

Note that just like the -al suffix, the suffix alone will not be sufficient to determine whether it is the verb form of the noun or vice versa, so always consult a dictionary if you’re unsure.  Perjure, for example, has a -ure suffix, but it is the verb form; perjury is the noun form.   <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Why should we avoid them?<\/b><\/p>\n