N°021_Vol.1_01

Introduction: “The verb-particle construction in Modern English is extremely complex to analyse and describe coherently in synchronic terms, but its origin and diachronic development is even more problematic.” (A. R. Olteanu: 2012:7). This aforementioned statement outlines how complex is any analysis about Modern English phrasal verbs[1] in particular and English phrasal verbs in general. In fact, the idea of writing a paper on nominalisation of phrasal verbs arose after the grammar course of licence 1 on Nouns and adjectives based on phrasal verbs. During the course, I was wondering why in contemporary English some phrasal verbs get nominalized by shifting the particle before the verb stem while some not. After some time of reflexion without any answer, I decided to investigate the mechanisms of noun creation from phrasal verbs for a deeper understanding of it[2].  Nominalisation which is noun creation from other parts of speech is a common phenomenon to all natural languages. However, the process varies depending on the language or the part of speech involved. When it comes to English, one can nominalize verbs in various ways. Verbs can get nominalized through the process of derivation or stress shift. For example, the shift of the stress from the second syllable to the first syllable of some verbs turns them into noun. As regarding the nominalisation of the verb by derivation, there are various mechanisms depending on the verb. There is a derivation procedure par excellence which is the suffixing of –ing to the verb.

All verbs go about that procedure, including phrasal verbs. In addition to the general nominalisation mechanism via -ing suffixation to verbs, phrasal verbs have a particularity as mentioned above. This particularity is twofold. The particle in nominal phrasal verbs in contemporary English can be either postposed to the verb stem or preposed to it. The examples below well illustrate the double nominalisation mode for English phrasal verbs as far as the particle position is concerned.

These examples suggest that particles or verbs have a double position in nominalized forms. They do not have a fix position. There is a nominal form where the particle precedes the verb stem (Cf 1a &1c) i.e. it functions as a verbal prefix. There is a form where the particle functions as a verbal suffix or follows the verb stem (Cf 1 b&1d). This coexistence of particle-base nominal constructions such as dropout and outcast or show off and offset in Modern English contrasts with the admittance of a unique linear ordering in language. It rather hypotheses two particle constructions for lexicalised or constructed nominal forms, that is preposing particles constructions and postposing particles constructions. This double structural position challenges the unique linear ordering claimed in Generative syntax. Since Generativists require a unique linear ordering in language, we cannot admit two sub-jacent positions for particles or verbs of the same category. If so, then, what is the base position of the particle in English phrasal verbs? Does particle have a double position in nominal phrasal verbs such as in outbreak and breakout? If not, what is the constraint that forces the particle to precede the verb root or not? For a minimal theory, I maintain one base position which is particle-verb. Upon the universal knowledge basis, generativist suggest a unique basic architecture of any linguistic system (Culicover, W. P., 1977: 4). They relate structural differences to parameters whereas structural uniformity is related to principles (Cuicover, W. P., Ibidem). In line with the uniformity principle, the structural position of the particle must be unique in verb- particle noun forms. This leads to the general hypothesis that preposing particles have the same structural position with postposing particles in nominal forms. The different positions observed are due to the parameter features of the verbs involved in the derivation. This paper aims therefore at uncovering the base-generated position of the particle or the verb before any derivation[1]. Furthermore, it shall demonstrate that the double structural position is related to the parameter features of the stem verb. The study is organised into four sections.  Section one reviews some past literature about the topic. Section two deals with the methodology and theoretical framework. The next section presents the two nominal forms collected from various sources. The last section tackles several hypotheses to find a solution to the problem.

• [1] It would be very pretentious to cover all the particles in this paper. I also believe that the space provided to fit this article in will not be sufficient enough to do so. Therefore, I mainly focus on particles out & off. Other articles or extensive work covering this phenomenon can go beyond more than two particles.
• [1] In this paper, I define phrasal verb with reference to Quirk et al.’s (1985) definition of phrasal verbs.
• [2]The first attempt to write a paper about the topic dates back to April 2O22. A brief overview was made during Wetalk of April 27, 2022 at UFHB, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Wetalk is a weekly tribune where teachers and students are invited to present their scientific work for discussions and suggestions.