Decategorization Of English Nouns

Decategorization is an indispensable aspect of categorization. Decategorization of English nouns is a process during which some members of noun category gradually lose their categorial features under certain conditions. Before recategorization, those nouns are in an unstable and intermediate state. Those nouns lose some categorial features of the noun. Meanwhile, they obtain some categorial features of the new category. Other scholars did not give a sufficient description of decategorization of English nouns. Therefore, they did not notice that decategorization of English nouns is a matter of degree.This thesis points out that decategorization is indebted to prototype effects. If categories have clear boundaries and members in a category enjoy equal status, the unstable and intermediate state of the members will not appear. Decategorization will be impossible. Decategorization of English nouns is motivated by tension between ever-developing cognitive activities and finite linguistic means, maximization of economy or "simplicity" of form on the one hand, and maximization of informativeness on the other hand and the demand of language for fresh air brought in by creativity. It is achieved through metaphor, metonymy, reanalysis and analogy.Decategorization is a dynamic process. According to categorial features they obtained during the process, those nouns can be divided into four types: adjectivalization, adverbalization, incorporation into verbs and combination with two prepositions. The description of the main tendencies reveals that decategorization of English nouns is a matter of degree. Some nouns obtain categorial features of preposition, a minor category. Some obtain categorial features of adjective or adverb, the intermediate category. And some incorporated into a major category. In addition, even within the same tendency the degree of decategorization varies. The gradient nature is related to the original categorial status of the noun and the context in which the noun occurs.This thesis is divided into five chapters. The first chapter introduces the definition of decategorization and its importance. The second chapter is the review of the previous studies in the West and in China. The third chapter points out that prototype effects are the precondition of decategorization. The motivations and means of decategorization are discussed in this chapter too. In the fourth chapter, the categorial features of English nouns are discussed. Then the four main tendencies of decategorization of English nouns are expounded. It reveals that decategorization is a matter of degree. Reasons are discussed. The last chapter is the conclusion of the thesis.