verbidel

Verbidel is a term used in linguistics and conlang communities to describe a hypothetical language type in which verb bases form the core of the lexicon and are selectively nominalized to create other parts of speech. In a verbidel system, derivational morphology relies primarily on verbs; nouns, adjectives, and some adverbs are derived by attaching suffixes to verb stems rather than from separate nominal roots. The concept is often employed in world-building and theoretical discussions to examine how a verb-centered morphology might influence syntax and vocabulary.

The term blends the word “verb” with a suffix-like element, and it is not attested in natural languages. It functions mainly as a model or thought experiment rather than a documented language family. Proponents use verbidel as a way to test typological predictions about how heavy nominal derivation from verb stems could interact with voice, aspect, and mood systems, as well as with word order variability.

Morphology and syntax in a verbidel framework center on rich verbal inflection and extensive derivation. Verb stems carry information about voice, aspect, and mood, and derivational affixes produce nominal and adjectival forms from those same stems. For example, a verb stem run- might yield runidel meaning “the act of running,” runido signaling a person who runs, and runidelic describing something run-like. This illustrates how a single verb base can generate multiple related parts of speech, reducing the need for abundant nominal roots.

In summary, verbidel is a fictional construct used to explore verb-centric morphology and its potential effects on grammar. It is not an established category in natural languages but serves as a tool for theoretical and creative linguistic work.