I recently read the old threads on verbifying (and verbing). I wonder if anyone noticed that it is a word that is created by doing what the new word means. (Or something like that). ie: it is a verbification of the noun "verb".

I wonder if any other words have that kind of trait.

Polysyllabic is, but monosyllabic is not. Words that change parts of speech (often without changing form) are quite common in English.

Hmmm, verbification of the noun "verb?" What would be an example? I am not sure I am getting that.

quote:

Originally posted by Kalleh:
Hmmm, verbification of the noun "verb?" What would be an example?

Verbing!

quote:

Originally posted by goofy:

quote:

Originally posted by Kalleh:
Hmmm, verbification of the noun "verb?" What would be an example?

Verbing!

Yeah; that or 'verbify'
Thanks Goofy.

I'm not a great wordsmith and I think it shows. But I like this site.

I wouldn't know any examples in the English language but had fun collecting words in German as follows:

Hexen hexen
Hexen = plural of witch; hexen= doing magic

Fliegen fliegen
Fliegen = plural of fly; fliegen = to fly

Bürsten bürsten
Bürsten = plural of hair brushes; bürsten = to fly

Glucken glucken
Glucken = plural of clucking hens; glucken = to hatch and raise chicks

I think I had a collection of roughly 60 such pairs thought up with friends.


Bea

LIke turning a proper name into a varb, i.e, Lorena Bobbit: to bobbit.

I had a frisson when I wrote that.

quote:

I had a frisson when I wrote that.

In other words, you frissoned.

That too

quote:

I wouldn't know any examples in the English language but had fun collecting words in German as follows:

I just love German. Bea, are you studying German or do you already know it?

Kalleh,
While I am a German native speaker,German is my "second" language, I was raised bi-lingual (Polish/German) but the Polish was dropped when I started getting smart with my teachers (in Germany), answering questions in Polish ... :-)

It's a difficult language to have fun and wordspiels in ... but it works.


Bea

Wow...and then you live in Ireland, too?

What is your favorite German word? I think mine is Torschlusspanik.

Yes, I moved here in 1997.

I have never thought about having a favourite word, strange you should ask. Would it be one that rolls off the tongue in a weird way or should it be one that sounds or reads interesting. Let me think about it.

Bea

I can take a guess as to one German word that isn't Kalleh's favourite: Schadenfreude.

(Don't ask, Bea!)

Well, Bea, I have a few. Some I love because of the way they roll off my tongue, as you say (eg, balderdash). Others I love because of the etymology (the one arnie is talking about, epicaricacy). And still others I love because of the definition (eg, Ohrwurm).

As for verbifying words, I was thinking about this tonight as I was listening to the Democratic Convention. They kept using the word incentivizing. So I wondered, when did that become a word? Is it a word? When do verbified words become actual words?

quote:

When do verbified words become actual words?

The same as any other words - when they are used.

quote:

Originally posted by Kalleh:
incentivizing. So I wondered, when did that become a word?

circa 1970

This message has been edited. Last edited by: goofy,

Come to think of it, this must be a favourite: Feierabend ... !

Bea

Feierabend

Yes: me, too. (I lived in Bonn in 1985.) It means 'quitting time' (US) or 'knocking-off time' (UK). Literally, it means the 'evening before a holiday'.

[Fixed typo.]

This message has been edited. Last edited by: zmježd,

I know very little German. What little I know comes from the days long ago when I worked at BMW and Mercedes dealerships which employed German speakers. So my favorite German word is mechanically-related: auspuff I laugh when I hear it! It is very much more fun than the English equivalent, exhaust.
If Peter, Paul, and Mary had sung "Puff the Magic Dragon" in German, when Puff left I suppose he would have aus-Puffed!

Elsewhere I mentioned giggling at seeing fahrt written on ignition switches of earlier German cars.

My favourite is zweiundzwanzig because it's fun to say.

zweiundzwanzig
Feierabend

Those are great words...and both new to me. Isn't it interesting that we all like German words? I learned a lot of them from this thread. Here's another one that I love too: torschlusspanik.

My favorite is schtoppzemdroopen.

Isn't it interesting that we all like German words?

Oh, I thought we were talking about our favorite German words. Another is Hoppelpoppel 'a kind of breakfast scramble dish'.

I do like Hoppeloppel (even though my spellchecker doesn't). Great words are coming up!

Arnie, as for your answer about when a verbified word becomes a word, I guess that is one thing that frustrates me. I see your point, but it all seems so willy nilly. I'd like something official!

There are some words that are not "in the dictionary" [sic] (as if there is one and only one dictionary). There are even some words in the dictionary that weren't words (dord springs to mind) but now are. Rather than bothering lexicographers, your best bet to get a "word" "in the dictionary" is to evangelize it so more people use it in print. About the time you can write the e-word in an article or use it casually at a party (without having to explain what it means) then it'll be a word. An ugly, unnecessary one, but a word nonetheless.

Yes, I realize we've discussed it a number of times. I just find it so lackadaisical. Yet, I also think those institutes to keep the language traditional are ridiculous, so I guess linguists just can't win with me.

Back on those favorite German words, mine are schwarzwälder kirschtorten: roll off of and onto the tongue deliciously.

I've always loved the words philtrum and zarf. They are unique words that most people won't know.