Chapter 12. Proposing a tripartite intensifier system
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Matthew Kanwit
Abstract
Tripartite systems demonstrate how a dominant form coexists with other variants without any falling into disuse, as each occupies a particular space (Kapatsinski, 2009). Intensifiers reveal language change through rapid variability and recycling in popularity (Tagliamonte, 2008), as seen in variationist analyses of Spanish intensification via bien and muy (Brown & Cortés-Torres, 2013).
We consider an additional variant (i.e., re) and determine to what extent we can classify Argentinean intensifiers as a tripartite system. In a contextualized task which manipulated adjective quality, verb type, and animacy, 136 speakers from Buenos Aires and Tucumán selected their preferred intensifier. Mixed-effects regressions indicated re is constrained linguistically and socially, and that it occupies a different, specialized space from bien, while muy pervades cross-contextually.
Abstract
Tripartite systems demonstrate how a dominant form coexists with other variants without any falling into disuse, as each occupies a particular space (Kapatsinski, 2009). Intensifiers reveal language change through rapid variability and recycling in popularity (Tagliamonte, 2008), as seen in variationist analyses of Spanish intensification via bien and muy (Brown & Cortés-Torres, 2013).
We consider an additional variant (i.e., re) and determine to what extent we can classify Argentinean intensifiers as a tripartite system. In a contextualized task which manipulated adjective quality, verb type, and animacy, 136 speakers from Buenos Aires and Tucumán selected their preferred intensifier. Mixed-effects regressions indicated re is constrained linguistically and socially, and that it occupies a different, specialized space from bien, while muy pervades cross-contextually.
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction 1
- Chapter 1. Geographic variation of voseo on Spanish Twitter 7
- Chapter 2. Organic models for measuring Spanish learners’ linguistic complexity 39
- Chapter 3. Role of social interaction abroad in the L2 acquisition of sociolinguistic variation 63
- Chapter 4. The effect of grammatical person on subject pronoun expression in the oral narratives of Spanish second language learners 85
- Chapter 5. Pied-piping in degree wh-clauses in Spanish 109
- Chapter 6. Degree, time and focus 133
- Chapter 7. Neural evidence for the processing of referential ambiguity and referential failure in Spanish 153
- Chapter 8. The overt pronoun penalty for plural anaphors in Spanish 175
- Chapter 9. On the origins of Portuguese para form variation 189
- Chapter 10. Developing epistemic meaning 215
- Chapter 11. The acquisition of personal a among Chinese-speaking L2 learners of Spanish 233
- Chapter 12. Proposing a tripartite intensifier system 253
- Chapter 13. Public signage in a multilingual Caribbean enclave 273
- Chapter 14. No es tan simple como parece 295
- Chapter 15. The acquisition of obligatory and variable mood selection in epistemic predicates by L2 learners and heritage speakers of Spanish 319
- Index 343
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction 1
- Chapter 1. Geographic variation of voseo on Spanish Twitter 7
- Chapter 2. Organic models for measuring Spanish learners’ linguistic complexity 39
- Chapter 3. Role of social interaction abroad in the L2 acquisition of sociolinguistic variation 63
- Chapter 4. The effect of grammatical person on subject pronoun expression in the oral narratives of Spanish second language learners 85
- Chapter 5. Pied-piping in degree wh-clauses in Spanish 109
- Chapter 6. Degree, time and focus 133
- Chapter 7. Neural evidence for the processing of referential ambiguity and referential failure in Spanish 153
- Chapter 8. The overt pronoun penalty for plural anaphors in Spanish 175
- Chapter 9. On the origins of Portuguese para form variation 189
- Chapter 10. Developing epistemic meaning 215
- Chapter 11. The acquisition of personal a among Chinese-speaking L2 learners of Spanish 233
- Chapter 12. Proposing a tripartite intensifier system 253
- Chapter 13. Public signage in a multilingual Caribbean enclave 273
- Chapter 14. No es tan simple como parece 295
- Chapter 15. The acquisition of obligatory and variable mood selection in epistemic predicates by L2 learners and heritage speakers of Spanish 319
- Index 343
