Back to: ENGLISH LANGUAGE SS2
Welcome to class!
In today’s class, we will be talking about nominalization and skill focus (paraphrasing a poem). Enjoy the class!
Nominalization and Skill Focus (Paraphrasing a Poem)
NOMINALIZATION
Nominalization is the process of turning a word from another word class (such as adjectives and verbs) into a noun. There are two primary ways through which we achieve this transformation in words. One requires the addition of a derivational suffix (which you probably have heard of before). The other does not.
Suffixes are letters we add to the end of a word in order to change its word class. Now let’s see here some examples of nominalizing verbs to noun with the aid of suffixes. Complete the remaining words where the spaces are left blank.
Verbs to Noun
Suffix Verb Noun
-al arrive, approve, arrival, approval,
deny, propose ……………………
-sion confuse, decide ……………………
divide, revise ……………………
-ure depart, erase, departure, erasure
…………………… ……………………
-ment agree, pay, ……………………
…………………… ……………………
-ance/-ence attend, ……………, ……………………
prefer, ……………. ……………………
-tion educate, inform, ……………………
…………………… ……………………
-ment agree, …..……… ……………………
…………………… ……………………
-age ………..…..……… ……………………
…………………… ……………………
Adjectives to Noun
Suffix Adjectives Noun
-ity responsible, possible, ……………………
scarce, probable ……………………
-ness ready, happy, ……………………
…………………… ……………………
-ism ideal, colonial ……………………
…………………… ……………………
-ance/ence important, …………… ……………………
Silent, ……………. ……………………
-th wide, dead ……………………
…………………… ……………………
The second process of nominalization that requires no suffix is called zero-derivation. Some verbs and adjectives fall into this group. They can be used directly as nouns without the addition of a derivational suffix. For instance:
Change
- I need a change. (noun)
- I will change. (verb)
Murder
- The murder of the man was tragic.(noun)
- He will murder the man. (verb)
Increase
- Profits have shown a large increase. (noun)
- Profits will continue to increase. (verb)
Use
- The use of forks is dangerous. (noun)
- Use your fork! (verb)
SKILL FOCUS: PARAPHRASING A POEM
Poetry is not as difficult as it seems, but most people think it is. All you need do is understand the language of poetry. You won’t be able to read doctor’s prescriptions because you don’t understand the medical terms used in writing those words. If you understand medical terms, you will be able to read any doctor’s prescription except if the doctor’s writing is very bad. The same rule is applicable to law and several other professions.
People think since poetry is written in the English language, they should be able to understand it without stress. Some people also think poetry is so difficult either to read or write, so they try to avoid it by all means.
As I said in a previous class, poetry is a broad subject. You won’t be able to appreciate it except you learn its requirements. The requirements for accessing poetry include a well-trained perceptive mind and a good understanding of rhetorical devices. If you can master these two requirements mentioned, you will be able to give meaning to a poem and paraphrase when you are required to.
Now to paraphrase a poem, you simply need to read, digest and understand it. Then write in simple terms what you think the poet is saying through the poem.
Practice with this today:
On this dirty patch
a tree once stood,
shedding incense of the infant corn:
its bough stretched across a heaven
brightened by the last fires of a tribe.
They sent surveyors and builders
who cut that trees,
planting in its place:
a huge senseless cathedral of doom.
The Cathedral by Kofi Awoonor
- There are two sentences in this poem, can you write them out?
- Paraphrase the poem us in less than a hundred word.
In our next class, we will be talking about Complex Sentences. We hope you enjoyed the class.
Should you have any further question, feel free to ask in the comment section below and trust us to respond as soon as possible.
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