I had lost sight of them then for a bit, but I went on pretty fast
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Claudia Claridge
Abstract
This article investigates the degree modifiers pretty and a bit in the subsection 1730s–1830s of the Old Bailey Corpus (OBC), containing speech-based/related data (ca. 50 million words). Pretty is shown to be already grammaticalized, with the degree modifier uses clearly dominating. Subjectification is evidenced both by the downtoning and upgrading degree meanings as well as by the ironic uses. While a bit is also semantically versatile and shows nuances of subjectification, it is far less grammaticalized than pretty, as the degree uses are in the clear minority. The change seems to be led by a bit of (a)-constructions rather than by simple a bit.
Abstract
This article investigates the degree modifiers pretty and a bit in the subsection 1730s–1830s of the Old Bailey Corpus (OBC), containing speech-based/related data (ca. 50 million words). Pretty is shown to be already grammaticalized, with the degree modifier uses clearly dominating. Subjectification is evidenced both by the downtoning and upgrading degree meanings as well as by the ironic uses. While a bit is also semantically versatile and shows nuances of subjectification, it is far less grammaticalized than pretty, as the degree uses are in the clear minority. The change seems to be led by a bit of (a)-constructions rather than by simple a bit.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Preface vii
-
Introduction
- Diachronic corpus pragmatics 3
-
Words
- I had lost sight of them then for a bit, but I went on pretty fast 29
- Grammaticalisation of the Finnish stance adverbial muka , ‘as if, supposedly, allegedly’ 53
- From degree/manner adverbs to pragmatic particles in Japanese 77
- Analyzing polysemy in Estonian 107
- On the development of the Italian truth adverbs davvero and veramente 133
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Phrases and clauses
- “Strong churlish purging Pills” 157
- On the origin of clausal parenthetical constructions 189
- Tracing the history of deontic NCI patterns in Dutch 213
- Front field negation in spoken Swedish 237
-
Utterances and dialogues
- Complimenting in the history of American English 257
- Exploring verbal aggression in English historical texts using USAS 277
- A matter of tradition and good advice 303
- Language index 329
- Name index 331
- Subject index 333
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Preface vii
-
Introduction
- Diachronic corpus pragmatics 3
-
Words
- I had lost sight of them then for a bit, but I went on pretty fast 29
- Grammaticalisation of the Finnish stance adverbial muka , ‘as if, supposedly, allegedly’ 53
- From degree/manner adverbs to pragmatic particles in Japanese 77
- Analyzing polysemy in Estonian 107
- On the development of the Italian truth adverbs davvero and veramente 133
-
Phrases and clauses
- “Strong churlish purging Pills” 157
- On the origin of clausal parenthetical constructions 189
- Tracing the history of deontic NCI patterns in Dutch 213
- Front field negation in spoken Swedish 237
-
Utterances and dialogues
- Complimenting in the history of American English 257
- Exploring verbal aggression in English historical texts using USAS 277
- A matter of tradition and good advice 303
- Language index 329
- Name index 331
- Subject index 333
