There's a slightly too broad maxim in English grammar that "any noun can be verbed." In many cases--claim, hope, report, etc.--they've been used long enough to become established in formal standard usage. I know editors and teachers who will still reject "impact" as a verb, although it's widely used and has a history going back to 1601. "Medal" first appears as a verb, in the OED entry, in 1822, but all uses until 1966 are passive. The first active use is about divers medaling in several of their events, reported in the Van Nuys Valley News. The OED does not have an entry for "podium" as a verb, so that one has to be more recent. Whether a particular denominal verb should be used is very much a matter of taste.
Herb
-----Original Message-----
From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of diane skinner
Sent: 2008-08-26 20:43
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: noun verbs
To All (or anyone),
Assuming that nouns and verbs are labeled as form classes (they accept
derivational and/or inflectional morphemes) and considering
that restrictions on word selection and its position allow the hearer
( and/or reader) to understand what the speaker (and/or writer) is
trying to communicate, yet recognizing that these form classes often
overlap in function (a verb can act like a noun: I study English. / I
study English in my study.), how is it that a few commentators during
the NBC broadcast of the Olympics --presumably speaking Standard
American English--said, "He should medal" and "He should, at least,
podium"?
I'm not a purist, but I'm still trying to get used to "I'll email you,
and you text me back."
Diane Skinner
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