Degrammaticalizes

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To cause a linguistic element to lose its grammatical function or status, thereby removing its role within the structure of a language ; to transform a linguistic form so that it no longer serves as a grammatical marker or component ; to reverse the process by which a word or form operates as an essential part of grammatical construction in language
2. To change a linguistic expression so it no longer performs grammatical duties, effectively stripping its syntactic relevance ; to alter a word or form to remove its traditional function in grammar and sentence construction ; to effect a transition in language where a grammatical unit ceases to function as part of the formal syntax
3. To modify language elements so they are no longer recognized as grammatical constituents, thereby detaching them from grammatical rules ; to convert a structure from an active grammatical role to a non-grammatical or lexical one ; to erase the grammatical properties of a linguistic item, disabling it from fulfilling its usual grammatical tasks

Etymology: The word is an inflected form: the third-person singular present of "degrammaticalize", so it means "degrammaticalizes" as in "removes the grammatical function of a word or element". The base verb is built from the prefix "de-", meaning "reverse or remove", attached to "grammaticalize", which itself comes from "grammar" plus the suffix "-ize", meaning "to make or treat as". Put together, the verb describes a process running in reverse: a word or affix that had taken on a grammatical role loses it and goes back toward being an ordinary lexical item.

Synonyms: deregularizes, simplifies grammar, destandardizes, derules

Antonyms: grammaticalizes, standardizes, regularizes, rules