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I'm sure I'll get flamed for this, but I would recommend you pick up a copy of
Quirk and Greenbaum's Grammar of the English Language. This athoratative little
romp provides a complete linguistic analysis of English with the caveat that
all languages are living, always in flux, things. Therefore, you'll discover
their observations based on a Noam Chomsky/transitional grammar type point of
view; a view which is in dire contrast to that of most "grammarians" who tend
to view language as static and ordered by superficial rules; i.e., don't end
sentences with prepositions or don't use nouns as verbs. (Yeah, right, as if
the native speakers using the language care. Like, I'm so sure!) Once you've
looked through Quirk and Greenbaum and get a feeling how natural, rather than
arbitrary, rules govern English usage, you'll at least have a good background
for defending your decision to use "value" as a verb if that's what you
decided to do.
Remember: It's all fun and games until somebody puts out an eye.
