nominalformers

Nominalformers are devices or processes in linguistics and language design that derive noun forms from words of other parts of speech. They cover a range of derivational strategies, including affixation, conversion (zero-derivation), internal alternations, and compounding. The term is used to describe both natural-language morphology and systematic rules in constructed languages that produce nouns from verbs, adjectives, numerals, or entire phrases.

In natural languages, nominalformers often encode semantic roles such as agent, patient, or abstract notion. Derivational suffixes and prefixes frequently generate agents from verbs (a noun meaning “one who does X”), abstract nouns from adjectives, or result nouns from verbs. Conversion or zero-derivation creates nominal forms without overt morphology in some languages. Compounding can also yield denominal nouns by combining existing words into new nominals.

Cross-linguistic patterns vary widely. Some languages rely on a rich system of dedicated nominal-forming affixes; others depend more on conversion or compounding. Productivity varies: some nominalformers are highly productive and widely used, others are restricted to specific semantic fields or lexical items. The study of nominalformers intersects with nominalization, denominal derivation, and related morphosyntactic phenomena, as well as with natural language processing and language design in artificial systems.

Because the term nominalformer is used primarily in linguistic and conlang contexts, its precise inventory differs by language and framework. In general, it provides a useful umbrella for describing how nouns arise from other word classes, and how such processes shape syntax, semantics, and word formation.