Is there such a thing as a proper verb, like a proper noun?












2















I was taught in school many years ago (in the 1960s) that there is no such thing as a proper verb. Example: I used the Xerox machine and xeroxed the document.
Or: I will use my bottle of Windex to windex the mirror.



Is this corrector not?






verbs







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  • I guess your examples are just standard ways to change nouns into verbs

    – Stefan
    5 hours ago
















2















I was taught in school many years ago (in the 1960s) that there is no such thing as a proper verb. Example: I used the Xerox machine and xeroxed the document.
Or: I will use my bottle of Windex to windex the mirror.



Is this corrector not?






verbs







share|improve this question









New contributor




Joyce Long is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.





















  • I guess your examples are just standard ways to change nouns into verbs

    – Stefan
    5 hours ago














2












2








2








I was taught in school many years ago (in the 1960s) that there is no such thing as a proper verb. Example: I used the Xerox machine and xeroxed the document.
Or: I will use my bottle of Windex to windex the mirror.



Is this corrector not?






verbs







share|improve this question









New contributor




Joyce Long is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.












I was taught in school many years ago (in the 1960s) that there is no such thing as a proper verb. Example: I used the Xerox machine and xeroxed the document.
Or: I will use my bottle of Windex to windex the mirror.



Is this corrector not?






verbs




verbs






share|improve this question









New contributor




Joyce Long is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.











share|improve this question









New contributor




Joyce Long is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.









share|improve this question




share|improve this question








edited 1 hour ago









Araucaria

35.6k1071149




35.6k1071149






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asked 5 hours ago









Joyce LongJoyce Long

111




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Joyce Long is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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Joyce Long is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.






Joyce Long is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.













  • I guess your examples are just standard ways to change nouns into verbs

    – Stefan
    5 hours ago



















  • I guess your examples are just standard ways to change nouns into verbs

    – Stefan
    5 hours ago

















I guess your examples are just standard ways to change nouns into verbs

– Stefan
5 hours ago





I guess your examples are just standard ways to change nouns into verbs

– Stefan
5 hours ago










3 Answers
3






active

oldest

votes


















1














The Cambridge Dictionary gives the capitalised verb:




Google




On the basis that dictionaries are authorities on whether a word is a word or not—at least for pedants—English does indeed appear to have proper verbs, so to speak.






share|improve this answer































    1














    The word "xeroxed" is an example of conversion. Conversion means the change of a word class without a change in form. It is very productive in English. For example, I can use the noun bottle and turn it into a verb he bottled the milk, or the adjective green and turn it into a noun we went out into the green, an ungradable adjective like English and turn it into a gradable adjective, he is very English, etc. In your case, you took a proper noun, Xerox, and turned it into a verb, to xerox. That does not make the resulting word a "proper verb", which is not even a recognized category in linguistics. It makes it a verb converted from a proper noun.






    share|improve this answer































      0














      Your examples illustrate metonymy



      : a figure of speech consisting of the use of the name of one thing for that of another of which it is an attribute or with which it is associated.
      (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/metonymy)



      Another example of the metonymy is
      boycott.



      According to Etymologyonline:
      1880, noun and verb,
      "to combine in refusing to have dealings with, and preventing or discouraging others from doing so, as punishment for political or other differences."



      From Irish Land League ostracism of Capt. Charles C. Boycott (1832-1897).






      share|improve this answer



















      • 1





        That’s not metonymy. The definition you give is correct but it doesn’t apply to the example at all?!

        – Richard Z
        4 hours ago












      Your Answer








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      3 Answers
      3






      active

      oldest

      votes








      3 Answers
      3






      active

      oldest

      votes









      active

      oldest

      votes






      active

      oldest

      votes









      1














      The Cambridge Dictionary gives the capitalised verb:




      Google




      On the basis that dictionaries are authorities on whether a word is a word or not—at least for pedants—English does indeed appear to have proper verbs, so to speak.






      share|improve this answer




























        1














        The Cambridge Dictionary gives the capitalised verb:




        Google




        On the basis that dictionaries are authorities on whether a word is a word or not—at least for pedants—English does indeed appear to have proper verbs, so to speak.






        share|improve this answer


























          1












          1








          1







          The Cambridge Dictionary gives the capitalised verb:




          Google




          On the basis that dictionaries are authorities on whether a word is a word or not—at least for pedants—English does indeed appear to have proper verbs, so to speak.






          share|improve this answer













          The Cambridge Dictionary gives the capitalised verb:




          Google




          On the basis that dictionaries are authorities on whether a word is a word or not—at least for pedants—English does indeed appear to have proper verbs, so to speak.







          share|improve this answer












          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer










          answered 4 hours ago









          AraucariaAraucaria

          35.6k1071149




          35.6k1071149

























              1














              The word "xeroxed" is an example of conversion. Conversion means the change of a word class without a change in form. It is very productive in English. For example, I can use the noun bottle and turn it into a verb he bottled the milk, or the adjective green and turn it into a noun we went out into the green, an ungradable adjective like English and turn it into a gradable adjective, he is very English, etc. In your case, you took a proper noun, Xerox, and turned it into a verb, to xerox. That does not make the resulting word a "proper verb", which is not even a recognized category in linguistics. It makes it a verb converted from a proper noun.






              share|improve this answer




























                1














                The word "xeroxed" is an example of conversion. Conversion means the change of a word class without a change in form. It is very productive in English. For example, I can use the noun bottle and turn it into a verb he bottled the milk, or the adjective green and turn it into a noun we went out into the green, an ungradable adjective like English and turn it into a gradable adjective, he is very English, etc. In your case, you took a proper noun, Xerox, and turned it into a verb, to xerox. That does not make the resulting word a "proper verb", which is not even a recognized category in linguistics. It makes it a verb converted from a proper noun.






                share|improve this answer


























                  1












                  1








                  1







                  The word "xeroxed" is an example of conversion. Conversion means the change of a word class without a change in form. It is very productive in English. For example, I can use the noun bottle and turn it into a verb he bottled the milk, or the adjective green and turn it into a noun we went out into the green, an ungradable adjective like English and turn it into a gradable adjective, he is very English, etc. In your case, you took a proper noun, Xerox, and turned it into a verb, to xerox. That does not make the resulting word a "proper verb", which is not even a recognized category in linguistics. It makes it a verb converted from a proper noun.






                  share|improve this answer













                  The word "xeroxed" is an example of conversion. Conversion means the change of a word class without a change in form. It is very productive in English. For example, I can use the noun bottle and turn it into a verb he bottled the milk, or the adjective green and turn it into a noun we went out into the green, an ungradable adjective like English and turn it into a gradable adjective, he is very English, etc. In your case, you took a proper noun, Xerox, and turned it into a verb, to xerox. That does not make the resulting word a "proper verb", which is not even a recognized category in linguistics. It makes it a verb converted from a proper noun.







                  share|improve this answer












                  share|improve this answer



                  share|improve this answer










                  answered 3 hours ago









                  Richard ZRichard Z

                  1,162214




                  1,162214























                      0














                      Your examples illustrate metonymy



                      : a figure of speech consisting of the use of the name of one thing for that of another of which it is an attribute or with which it is associated.
                      (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/metonymy)



                      Another example of the metonymy is
                      boycott.



                      According to Etymologyonline:
                      1880, noun and verb,
                      "to combine in refusing to have dealings with, and preventing or discouraging others from doing so, as punishment for political or other differences."



                      From Irish Land League ostracism of Capt. Charles C. Boycott (1832-1897).






                      share|improve this answer



















                      • 1





                        That’s not metonymy. The definition you give is correct but it doesn’t apply to the example at all?!

                        – Richard Z
                        4 hours ago
















                      0














                      Your examples illustrate metonymy



                      : a figure of speech consisting of the use of the name of one thing for that of another of which it is an attribute or with which it is associated.
                      (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/metonymy)



                      Another example of the metonymy is
                      boycott.



                      According to Etymologyonline:
                      1880, noun and verb,
                      "to combine in refusing to have dealings with, and preventing or discouraging others from doing so, as punishment for political or other differences."



                      From Irish Land League ostracism of Capt. Charles C. Boycott (1832-1897).






                      share|improve this answer



















                      • 1





                        That’s not metonymy. The definition you give is correct but it doesn’t apply to the example at all?!

                        – Richard Z
                        4 hours ago














                      0












                      0








                      0







                      Your examples illustrate metonymy



                      : a figure of speech consisting of the use of the name of one thing for that of another of which it is an attribute or with which it is associated.
                      (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/metonymy)



                      Another example of the metonymy is
                      boycott.



                      According to Etymologyonline:
                      1880, noun and verb,
                      "to combine in refusing to have dealings with, and preventing or discouraging others from doing so, as punishment for political or other differences."



                      From Irish Land League ostracism of Capt. Charles C. Boycott (1832-1897).






                      share|improve this answer













                      Your examples illustrate metonymy



                      : a figure of speech consisting of the use of the name of one thing for that of another of which it is an attribute or with which it is associated.
                      (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/metonymy)



                      Another example of the metonymy is
                      boycott.



                      According to Etymologyonline:
                      1880, noun and verb,
                      "to combine in refusing to have dealings with, and preventing or discouraging others from doing so, as punishment for political or other differences."



                      From Irish Land League ostracism of Capt. Charles C. Boycott (1832-1897).







                      share|improve this answer












                      share|improve this answer



                      share|improve this answer










                      answered 4 hours ago









                      user307254user307254

                      3,9902516




                      3,9902516








                      • 1





                        That’s not metonymy. The definition you give is correct but it doesn’t apply to the example at all?!

                        – Richard Z
                        4 hours ago














                      • 1





                        That’s not metonymy. The definition you give is correct but it doesn’t apply to the example at all?!

                        – Richard Z
                        4 hours ago








                      1




                      1





                      That’s not metonymy. The definition you give is correct but it doesn’t apply to the example at all?!

                      – Richard Z
                      4 hours ago





                      That’s not metonymy. The definition you give is correct but it doesn’t apply to the example at all?!

                      – Richard Z
                      4 hours ago










                      Joyce Long is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.










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