In Estonian, conversion as a change in word class without introducing a derivational suffix applies, first and foremost, to mutual convertibility of verbs and nouns, e.g. rohi ’grass’ > rohi/ma ’to weed’ (-ma is an infinitive marker) or ravi/ma ’to cure’ > ravi ’treatment’. The article provides a brief survey of verb-to-noun conversion, done mainly on the basis of formal characteristics. The focus lies on the propensity for conversion as manifested in verbs with different structures (simple bases, derivatives, compounds), thus specifying the principal phonological and morphological prerequisites that determine the possibility and productivity of verb- to-noun conversion. It appears that in a general case the base of conversion is a simple base, while a derivative can be converted only on certain specific conditions. At that, the grammatical peculiarities of Estonian as a Finno-Ugric language engender some interpretational issues, while the synchronic vs. diachronic aspects should also be taken into account. As morphonological alternation of word stems has a vital role in both inflection and derivation it can certainly not be overlooked in conversion. Thus Estonian conversion does not only involve fully identical stems, but also phonetic variance of a definite kind. The study is synchronic, based on the latest edition of the Estonian orthological dictionary (ÕS 1999).
Bauer, L. 1996, English Word-Formation, Cambridge.
Biese, Y. M. 1941, Origins and Development of Conversions in English, Helsinki (AASF B 45, 2).
Huddleston, R., Pullum, K. G. 2002, The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language, Cambridge.
https://doi.org/10.1017/9781316423530
Fleischer, W., Barz, I. 1995, Wortbildung der deutschen Gegenwartssprache. 2., durchgesehene und ergänzte Auflage, Tübingen.
Hint, M. 1998, Häälikutest sõnadeni. Eesti keele häälikusüsteem üldkeeleteaduslikul taustal. Teine, ümbertöötatud trükk, Tallinn.
Jovanović, Ž. V. 2003, On Productivity, Creativity and Restrictions on Word Conversion in English. - Facta Universitatis. Linguistics and Literature 2003, Vol. 2, No 10, 425-436.
Kasik, R. 1983, Eestin ja suomen verbinjohto. - Sananjalka 31, 81-91.
https://doi.org/10.30673/sja.86516
Kiefer, F. 2002, Conversion in Hungarian. Thesis. — Seminar on Conversion/ Zero-Derivation. May 12th 2002 at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest. http://www.ujaen.es/huesped/lbsv/abstracts.htm.
Lindelöf, U. 1938, English Verb-Adverb Groups Converted into Nouns, Helsinki (Societas Scientiarum Fennica. Commentationes Humanarum Literarum 9, No. 5).
Marchand, H. 1969, The Categories and Types of Present-Day English Word-Formation, Munich.
Morphologie. Morphology. Ein internationales Handbuch zur Flexion und Wortbildung. An International Handbook on Inflection and Word-Formation 1, Berlin-New York 2000.
Tauli, V. 1972, Eesti grammatika I. Hääliku-, vormi- ja sõnaõpetus, Upsala.
Tauli, V. 1973, Standard Estonian Grammar I. Phonology, Morphology, Word-Formation, Uppsala (Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis. Studia Uralica et Altaica Upsaliensia).
Vare, S. 1979, Lähtekohti eesti derivatsiooni käsitluseks, Tallinn.
Vare, S. 1993, Konversioonist eesti keele sõnamoodustuses. - Vir., 34-50.
Vare, S. 2004, Põgusalt ühest leksika ja süntaksi piirinähtusest. - KK, 915-922.
Viitso, T.-R. 2003, Structure of the Estonian Language. - Estonian Language, Tallinn (Linguistica Uralica, Supplementary Series / Vol. 1), 9-230.
