- ‘Left’ is traditionally either used as an adjective (as in “left hand”) or as a noun (as in “on your left”). This new form has been derived into a verb to be used in the context of navigation. It arose most likely for the sake of brevity and simplicity. Instead of saying “turn left here”, one can simply say “left here”. This new usage is useful in navigational situations because often times decisions must be made quickly. Thus, using a shorter expression becomes more convenient for both the driver and the navigator. ‘Left’ can also be used in its opposite form, ‘right’, to indicate the action of turning right. The same usages and principles apply for both forms. The only difference is the direction of the turn. ‘Left’ as a verb is only used by humans. In other words, it is not used by automated navigating systems such as GPS. The chances that these systems will start using the verb are unlikely. Although the shortness of the word is convenient, it is also more vague. GPS’s tend to distinguish between turning left and keeping left. This type of detail is important to the driver and is not elaborated upon by simply saying ‘left’ or ‘right’. In addition, ‘left’ is quite informal, especially for the language of an automated machine. Using the word in GPS would be unusual and thus possibly even risky for business. For these reasons, ‘left’ is unlikely to go beyond usage by humans.
Left
zero derivation Verb
To make a left turn
Etymology : Derivation of ‘left’ as a noun or adjective into a verb in navigational contexts
Source : “You’re gonna left at this light.” My friend talking to my other friend (who was driving) on November 22, 2016.
Last modified: 1 December 2016