SHILLS AND STRATEGIES 12 NOMINALIZATION To concentrate a substantial amount of information in one sentence, academic writers use a grammar technique we call nominalization. For example, instead of a one- or two-word subject, they sometimes create complex noun phrases as subjects. These longer subjects make sentences more challenging to read, Learning to recognize and understand nominalization, therefore, will help you become a more efficient reader. Although nominalization can occur in other parts of a sentence, the focus here is on nominalization in subjects only. EXAMPLES & EXPLANATIONS Examples ‘The emergence of drug-resistant bacteria is worrying health experts, The company’s decision to open a new plant in Southport was welcomed by the town’s residents, ‘The careless use of pesticides by farmers in the Aral Sea basin contaminated local supplies of drinking water. 212° uns Explanations Noun + of + noun phrase + verb, To understand» naminalzed subject wih this pater, flow the steps belo o make two simpler 1. Change the ist nun emergence) int the vr ram he same wortamiy are emerging) 2. Forth subject of te ne er, us tha noun phase tet olows the prepesitn of argent kin of bactr, 2. Sta ana, scondsontonce by inating Ti befre the ve of ‘he ginal santnca (is waning) rugresstan kinds of taco are emerging, Ths warying heath wert Noun + ’s + noun phase + vr. To understand tis ato ot ination flow the steps below to make two simpler Sentences, 1. Change the second noun dcisin io a verb cio. 2. Forth subject ofthe now vr, ue the frst nun company — without apostope 3. For the sarod santens, sort Thi bao the verb ofthe ogi sanance The company decided oapen a new plant in Southoo. This was welcomed by te town's resident "Noun + of + noun phrase + by + noun phrase + verb 0 understand tis patie of ninaized subject. allow he steps blow to make we simpler sontance, 1. Change th fst nun (use) moa ver used. Change any _cjctives with tis noun careless) ino adverbs arless, 2 Forte subject of he now verb, use the noun pra tir by, 23. For the object ofthe raw verb use the noun pase ar of 4. Sta the secon sentence by insrtng This bore the ver fhe iia sentence (antaminaod, Fannes inthe Aa So basi used pesticides careless. Ths Contaminated lca supplies of drinking water,‘THE LANGUAGE OF NOMINALIZATION ‘The noun markers in the chart will help you recognize many nouns that may be used to form nominalized subjects. Reem ere ENDINGS FOR ACTION/STATE NOUNS ness ety vance ism -ion ment ity -ence asm tion th hood ty -ency sion Note, however, that many nouns do not contain special noun markers ~ eg, attack, collapse, damage, increase, release, spread, use. ‘STRATEGIES Experience will enable you to understand nominalized English without mentally changing the text as you read, However, until you have enough experience, you can learn to deal with such texts by using the following three strategies: '™ Identify the noun that shows an action or a state. ‘= Identify any phrases and noun clauses that belong with this noun. ‘= Change the original sentence into two simpler sentences by following the steps outlined under Examples & Explanations on the opposite page ‘SKILL PRACTICE 1 In the following sentences, highlight the main verb and underline the entire nominalized subject. The first one has been done for you as an example. 1 The researcher's claim that he had discovered a cure for the common cold. ‘was received with disbelief by the scientific community. 2 The government's decision to raise income taxes has angered a lot of people. 3 The allegation by some people that immigrants take more out of the US. economy than they contribute to it is rejected by most economists. 4 The student's slow and painful adjustment to life overseas was to be expected. 5 The tendency of new immigrants to settle in their ethnic communities is sometimes wrongly cited as evidence that they do not wish to become integrated into American society. 6 The public’s perception of immigrants as unwilling to learn English may arise because few Americans understand how difficult it is for an adult to learn a second language. SWLLS AND STRATEGIES 12.213,SKILL PRACTICE 2 In the following sentences, highlight the main verb and underline the entire nominalized subject. Then rewrite the sentence as two simpler sentences. The first one has been done for you as an example. 1 The researcher's claim that he had discovered a cure for the common cold ‘Was received with disbelief by the scientific community. The researcher chimed that he had discovered a cure for the common cold. This was received with dlsbelicf by the scientific. community, The retention by immigrant families of parts of their native culture has added variety to US. society. The use by first-generation immigrants of their native languages is interpreted by some Americans as a refusal to become part of the mainstream society. The public’s lack of appreciation of the ecological and scientific value of rain forest species is an obstacle to solving the problem of biodiversity loss. The accumulation of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere over the last century has convinced most scientists that climate change is a major threat. The resentment among female workers that their male peers receive higher wages for doing the same work is an issue that the company has not addressed. SKILL PRACTICE 3 Underline the nominalized part of each sentence. Then answer the question that follows. The first one has been done for you as an example. 1 The clearing of forests by carly human settlers to provide fuel, wood for construction, and fields for farming probably caused the first major threats to the natural environment, Question: What caused the first major threat to the natural environment? Answer: ee settlers cleared forests to provide fuel, wood for construction, and fields for farming. The attempts by nations to pursue economic development are the source of the greatest danger to the world’s ecology. Question: Why is the global ecology in danger? The destruction of vast areas of the Amazon rain forest by wealthy cattle- farming businesses is driving large numbers of tropical species to extinction. Question: Why are large numbers of tropical species dying out in the Amazon basin?The government's decision to expand agriculture by using enormous amounts of water from the region's two main rivers for irrigation was the root cause of the environmental catastrophe in the Aral Sea basin. Question: Why did this environmental disaster happen? The collapse of the Mayan civilization began when soil erosion reduced the productivity of the hillside fields. Question: What happened when soil erosion made the hillside fields less productive? The establishment of forest reserves — areas in which any economic exploitation of the rain forest is forbidden ~ will protect tropical species by preserving their habitats. Question: How can we preserve the habitats of tropical species? ‘The presence of large amounts of toxic chemicals in the environment has produced one of the highest rates of infant mortality in the world in the region of Karalpak in Uzbekistan. Question: Why have so many infants died in Karalpak? An acceleration of the pace of research into the species of the tropical rain forests will provide the scientific community with the information it needs in order to convince people that the rain forests are worth preserving. Question: How can scientists acquire the information needed to convince the public that rain forest species are worth preserving? SSKLLS AND STRATEGIES 12 215