Article

Name: From qualitative to intensification meaning (formation of intensification adverbs in Slavic languages)

Authors: M. S. Khmelevskii

Saint Petersburg State University Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation

In the section Linguistics

Abstract: This paper proposes lexical and etymological analysis of some models of formation and development of such meaning as intensification in the semantic structure of qualitative adverbs. Losing the original meaning and expressivity, in modern languages, qualitative adverbs naturally form the synonymous group of adverbs-intensificators used to express a high degree of attribute or action. Here are some the most representative examples in different Slavic languages: Russian: очень, весьма, Ukrainian: дуже, Belorussian: вельмi, Polish: bardzo, Czech: velmi, velice, moc, Slovak: veľmi, Serbian, Croatian veoma, vrlo, jako, Slovenian: zelo, čisto, hudo etc. In total, in quantitative terms, we managed to identify about 70–90 different examples in every Slavic language analyzed. Most of these adverbs were formed from qualitative adjectives. Certain processes of semantic changes begin first of all in the semantic structure of qualitative adjectives and then continue in qualitative adverbs. The result of these semantic processes in the adverbs is the loss of their qualitative meaning. Thus, the adverbs join the group of quantitative words able to amplify the verb, adjective or another adverb, becoming the synonym of the word very. At the first stages, these adverbs are characterized by explicit expressive connotation of meaning, which disappears in the course of time and the quantitative adverb becomes stylistically neutral. Due to the necessity of expressive connotation, this group of words is constantly replenished with new lexemes with expressive meaning. This process of replenishment is constant and we can observe it nowadays. For example, the Russian quantitative adverbs очень, сильно already lost their expressive connotation, the quantitative adverb страшно can keep its expressive connotaion depending on the context, and such new quantitative adverbs which are used almost only in colloquial and jargon speech as суперско, запредельно, офигенно etc. nowadays refer to the expressive lexicon. Some of them will disappear in the language as temporary expressive adverbs- intensificators, but as we observe from the language trend, most of them will remain and gradually lose their expressive connotation, as in example with Czech adverbs ohromně, úžasně, Slovenian hudo, čisto etc. This paper presents the analysis of the basic semantic, which acts as a catalyst for forming a new expressive quantitative connotation in qualitative adjectives and then the adverbs, a universal process in Slavonic languages.

Keywords: qualitative adverbs, adverbs-intensificators, expression, lexis, the Slavic languages

Bibliography: