Instrumental verb formation

This chapter deals with instrumental denominal verbs. After examining some general aspects of denominal verbalization processes, on both a morphological and semantic level, it focuses on instrumental formations. Some previous theories on the concept of instrument are briefly revised in order to test their validity for the analysis of a corpus of instrumental verbs. The paper goes on to conclude that it is essential to bear in mind the distinction between instrument and instrumental construction, as well as the process of conceptual conflation inserted in the lexeme itself in order to deal with these verbs. This article consequently offers a classification based on a semantic, conceptual model. Keywords: instrument; instrumental construction; instrumental denominal verbs; denominal verbalization; conflation

Published online: 15 December 2011
https://doi.org/10.1075/ivitra.1.02nav