This research investigates the directionality of major total conversion
in English, where major total conversion is defined as the process and at the
same time as the result of deriving a new lexical item by altering the part of
speech of the base without marking the alteration overtly, as in the
presumed pair dry – to dry. The question is whether there is a reliable
strategy for deciding which member of a pair is the base and which member
is the converted counterpart. Various attempts had been made to resolve the
controversial directional issue, but the results have been inconsistent.
The investigation aims to discover whether or not there exists a
coherent notion about how to decide directionality by considering four factors
assumed in the literature to reflect directionality. A large corpus of potential
examples of major total conversion was collected to act as test materials.
The four factors were compared for each major total conversion pair to see
to what extent there was agreement among them.
Results showed the factors did not agree to the expected extent. The
findings are discussed in detail and it is claimed the inconsistencies can
often be explained with recourse to a few general principles.
In conclusion, on the whole the four factors considered are consistent
with one another. In other words, the notion about how to determine
directionality in major total conversion is coherent and can be maintained for
English