So much so that, when we invent verbs, they correspondingly usually take the form of the related noun:Īll of this noun/verb symmetry, however, tends to give our language a sense of stability and predictability that it probably does not deserve. The idea of this symmetry is so entrenched in our minds that jargony new (or new-sounding) nouns are often just infinitive verbs used as nouns (a process known as functional shift): This does give a slight advantage to learners of English who can make fast progress through common noun/infinitive verb pairings. Many common noun/verb pairs fit this pattern: walk, talk, sleep, dream, drink, cut, scratch, play, race, smell. Have a look/Please look around When Verbs and Nouns Are the Same Let’s go for a run/I try to run every day ![]() ![]() Often the English word for an action and the word for the doing of that action are the same.
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