Unspecified verbs are action words that lack enough detail to fully explain what is happening. When a verb is vague, people tend to interpret it based on their own experiences—this is known as mind reading.
To test whether a verb is unspecified, try visualizing the action. If you can clearly picture the event, the verb is specific enough. For example, “He sat on my foot” is easy to imagine. But “He hurt my foot” is unclear—was it an accident, a deliberate act, or something else entirely?
Examples of Unspecified Verbs
- “My friend hurt me.”
- Did they drop something on your toe?
- Physically harm you?
- Say something hurtful, like “Yes, you look fat in those pants”?
- Forget to do something important?
- Abandon you with ten cats and only two dollars in the bank?
- “My boss frustrates me.”
- Does she start Mondays with an evil laugh?
- Take too long in the bathroom?
- Hoard all the office supplies?
- Refuse to give clear instructions?
- Take credit for your work?
- Only respond in Turkish when you ask a question?
- “Their children are rude.”
- Do they talk too loudly?
- Leave the toilet seat up?
- Fail to say thank you after a visit?
- Make a mess in your home?
- Ignore people when spoken to?
- Burp at the dinner table without apologizing?
- Offer gestures that seem offensive?
Related Concept: Nominalization
Nominalization happens when an unclear verb is turned into a noun, making it seem like a fixed thing rather than an action. For example:
- “My frustration with my boss makes me exhausted.”
- Here, frustration is treated as a solid entity rather than an ongoing process (“My boss frustrates me”) that could be explored or changed.
How to Recover Unspecified Verbs
To make the meaning clearer, ask for specifics:
- How exactly did your friend hurt you?
- In what way does your boss frustrate you?
- What specifically makes their children seem rude?
By identifying missing details, we improve clarity, communication, and understanding.