All about Words: verbing, none is/are, polite requests

Verbing: turning nouns into verbs

When we add endings to nouns to turn them into verbs, it’s known as ‘verbing’, ‘verbification’, ‘denomilisation’ or ‘verbifying’ – ugly words to describe a common process!

For example:

She eyed an opportunity.
He tabled a proposal.
She authored a book.
They accessed a lift.
You can friend and unfriend people on Facebook.
She messaged someone on her phone.

Some of these verbs even start off as trade names and over time we drop the initial capital.

He hoovered the carpets.
She googled how to grow herbs.
They xeroxed the documents.
They skyped regularly.

We’ve always verbified nouns

The first instance of the word verbification was in 1871, but the process has occurred for centuries. Psychologist Steven Pinker (The Sense of Style, 2014) says a fifth of English verbs probably started out as nouns or adjectives.

And apparently, verbing is now happening faster than ever these days.

Read the rest of my blog.

Readers’ questions

None

Question: Is none singular or plural? I usually hear it used with the plural, but it seems to me that it means no one, and, therefore, should be singular.

Answer: Traditionally, none was regarded as singular, but these days it can be singular or plural.

It usually doesn’t matter whether you choose a singular or plural verb, unless something else in the sentence dictates your choice. Either of the following sentences is grammatically correct.

None of you are guilty.
None of you is guilty.

In the following sentences, other words determine the agreement.

None of their clothes were dry.
None of the beer was drunk.

Learn more about grammar with my online course, Grammar, Punctuation and Usage.

Apostrophes

A reader commented how annoying it is to see apostrophes in plurals. She thinks it’s becoming more common. Do you agree?

A wrong apostrophe is often called the grocer’s apostrophe. Another term I like is the apostrofly, a term coined by Ian Mayes in 2002. It is an insect that lands at random on the printed page depositing an apostrophe wherever it alights.

You will get rid of apostroflies when you enrol in my online Grammar, Punctuation and Usage course.

Tough English

A reader sent me a sentence to illustrate how difficult it must be for people learning English.

Though it is tough to cough, I ought to plough through.

He asked if anyone had any similar sentences. I remembered one:

Because there was no time like the present, he thought it was time to present the present.

Polite requests

Question: Would you use a question mark after the following sentence: ‘Can you please send me the files by Friday.’

It’s not a question, but is phrased as one. ‘Please send me the files by Friday’ seems a bit blunt. The ‘Can you’ is a softener, but it’s a bit nonsensical. You could answer ‘I can’ but I won’t’.

Anwer: I don’t think you need a question mark after polite requests, and you’re unlikely to receive the response ‘I can, but I won’t’.

The Australian Style manual says you don’t need a question mark after ‘polite requests that seek no verbal response’. It gives the example: ‘Would you please submit your commits by Monday.’

If you’re not sure about the sentence, you could rephrase it. For example, ‘I’d appreciate receiving the files by Friday.’ But ‘Can you…’ sounds less formal.

Learn more about grammar with my online course, Grammar, Punctuation and Usage.

Interesting stuff about writing

Seth Godin reveals the writing secrets that made him a bestselling author
Is it really as simple as he says? Read more and see what you think.

12 ways to learn vocabulary with the New York Times
I must be in a cynical mood because I believe most of us know enough words. But if you feel the need to improve your vocab, read on.

10 of the best words in the world that don’t translate into English
Italians strive for a bella figura and Spaniards indulge in a sobremesa. Find out the others.

Don’t use ‘who’ to refer to children?
In the past ‘who’ was not used to refer to children because they are not rational beings! Read more.

Face to face vs online learning: what’s your pick?
‘Online training has developed immensely compared to its humble beginnings.’ Read more.

Tips for business writers to avoid procrastination
If you put off writing, read more.

Quote of the month

‘Every romantic knows that love was never a noun; it is a verb.’
Shannon L. Alder, inspirational writer