adjectiveverbification

Adjectiveverbification is a linguistic process where an adjective is transformed into an adverb. This is commonly achieved by adding a suffix, most frequently "-ly", to the end of the adjective. For example, the adjective "quick" becomes the adverb "quickly" when the suffix "-ly" is added. This adverb then modifies verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs, indicating manner, time, place, degree, or frequency.

This process is a regular and productive way to create new adverbs in English. While "-ly" is the most common suffix, other less frequent suffixes like "-ward" (e.g., "backward" from "back") can also be involved in adjectiveverbification. The resulting adverb typically answers questions like "how?", "when?", "where?", or "to what extent?".

Adjectiveverbification is a significant aspect of English morphology, contributing to the flexibility and expressiveness of the language. It allows speakers and writers to convey more nuanced meanings by describing actions or qualities with greater precision. Understanding this process helps in comprehending sentence structure and the function of different word classes within a sentence.