A contribution to the study of conversion in English

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This work provides new insights into the controversial process of conversion or zero-derivation. It critically reviews previous theories and approaches, aiming to establish a new definition while discussing the appropriateness of terminology and identifying key characteristics. The study explores whether a change in category or word-class is essential, whether syntactic function or word-class change should take precedence, and whether the outcome is a derived word, two independent units, or one form with two distinct units. Additionally, it distinguishes conversion from other linguistic phenomena with similar outcomes, such as levelling, ellipsis, and shortening, while categorizing its types, including partial and total conversion and changes in secondary word-class. The conclusion asserts that conversion, despite appearing to be a catch-all for various linguistic processes involving formally identical elements, can be clearly defined and distinguished from similar phenomena. The work has received the national prize “Leocadio Martín Mingorance” for English Language and Linguistics, awarded by AEDEAN, recognizing its significant contribution to the field.