Not applicatives, but...?

I am trying to infuse some rigor into my major conlang (the transitional
version, "Mirexu", will be used in the upcoming relay).  I know what I
want verbs to do: they take (what used to be?) adpositions, and use them
as prefixes to derive other monotransitive senses of the verb, discarding
the original object in favor of the formerly oblique participant.

For example, "ti" to say (something); "duti" to speak (to someone);
"treti" to discuss; "vunti" to speak for, to advocate.  (Wait - there
it is, right in Latin, right?  Ad-vocate?)

This does not appear to be an applicative process as such, as that
terminology seems to require an increase in valency.  It's so similar to
what German infinitives and some English gerunds do, not to mention the
Latin I stumbled upon above.  It must have a name!  But I can't find it.
Anybody know?

Thanks,
Amanda

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