Basque

Abstract This chapter reviews the three most prototypical cases of conversion in Basque: noun conversion (adjective-participle-adpositional phrase/noun pairs), adjective conversion (participle/adjective pairs), and adverb conversion (adjective/adverb pairs). Next, it deals with verb conversion. It discusses whether denominal and deadjectival verb-formation through the suffix -tu should be considered true derivation and argues that it is certainly a case of conversion with most of the resulting verbs taking part in the inchoative–causative alternation; other cases of verb conversion from grammatical elements (quantifiers, comparatives, and adpositions) are also analysed. Finally, the conversion view of denominal and deadjectival verbs is assessed with respect to a lexicalist, a syntactic, and a root-based approach.