gerundnoun

Gerundnoun is a term occasionally used in linguistic discussions to describe a word form that functions as a noun and is derived from a verb through the -ing ending. In standard English grammar, this category is usually called a gerund or a verbal noun, and the label gerundnoun is not widely used in formal grammars. The coinage is sometimes employed to emphasize the noun-like behavior of the -ing form, as opposed to its role as a present participle in attributive or predicate positions.

Form and use

Gerundnoun forms are created by adding -ing to a verb (for example, swim -> swimming) and then adopting noun-like functions within a sentence. They can serve as subjects, objects, or complements. They may take determiners (the swimming, a long swimming session) and can be modified by adjectives (pleasant swimming). In noun phrases, a gerundnoun form may head the phrase (the swimming pool), or appear within a larger noun phrase as a complement or object.

Distinctions and notes

Because the same -ing form can also be a present participle, the functional label depends on syntax and context rather than form alone. Other nominalizations of verbs use suffixes such as -tion, -ment, or -er; gerundnoun, when used, helps to draw attention to the -ing noun-like use of the verb form. Cross-linguistic variation exists: many languages have verbal nouns or similar constructions, but the exact category and terminology differ across linguistic traditions. In English, debates about the boundary between gerunds and deverbal nouns continue, and gerundnoun remains a descriptive, nonstandard label rather than a universally adopted term.

See also

Gerund, Verbal noun, Present participle, Deverbal noun.