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Chapter 2. Intensification and focusing

The case of pure(ly) and mere(ly)
  • Lobke Ghesquière
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Exploring Intensification
This chapter is in the book Exploring Intensification

Abstract

Intensification or degree modification by means of adverbs and adjectives has been the object of linguistic study for many years, yet there is still a need for clear delineation of this functional category. This study focuses on the differences and similarities between the functional domains of intensification and focusing. The latter function has mainly been described for adverbs, with little attention to its adjectival realizations and to its relation to intensification. By means of corpus studies of pure, purely, mere and merely, it is shown that intensification and focusing are similar to some extent, both engaging in interpersonal modification (McGregor 1997), yet also distinct with intensification being semantically scalar, attitudinal and inherently subjective and focusing being only potentially pragmatically scalar, rhetorical and textually intersubjective.

Abstract

Intensification or degree modification by means of adverbs and adjectives has been the object of linguistic study for many years, yet there is still a need for clear delineation of this functional category. This study focuses on the differences and similarities between the functional domains of intensification and focusing. The latter function has mainly been described for adverbs, with little attention to its adjectival realizations and to its relation to intensification. By means of corpus studies of pure, purely, mere and merely, it is shown that intensification and focusing are similar to some extent, both engaging in interpersonal modification (McGregor 1997), yet also distinct with intensification being semantically scalar, attitudinal and inherently subjective and focusing being only potentially pragmatically scalar, rhetorical and textually intersubjective.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. New insights on intensification and intensifiers 1
  4. Part I. The category of intensification
  5. Chapter 1. The comparative basis of intensification 15
  6. Chapter 2. Intensification and focusing 33
  7. Chapter 3. Intensification processes in Italian 55
  8. Chapter 4. Noun classification in Kiswahili 79
  9. Part II. Strategies of intensification in ancient languages: Hittite, Greek and Latin
  10. Chapter 5. Intensification and intensifying modification in Hittite 101
  11. Chapter 6. Diminutives in Ancient Greek 127
  12. Chapter 7. Nulla sum, nulla sum: Tota, tota occidi 147
  13. Part III. Strategies of intensification in modern languages: Italian, German, English
  14. Chapter 8. Intensifiers between grammar and pragmatics 173
  15. Chapter 9. Stress and tones as intensifying operators in German 193
  16. Chapter 10. English exclamative clauses and interrogative degree modification 207
  17. Part IV. Contrastive analysis of intensification in Italian and German
  18. Chapter 11. A pragmatic view on intensification 231
  19. Chapter 12. Intensifying structures of adjectives across German and Italian 251
  20. Chapter 13. The coordination of identical conjuncts as a means of strengthening expressions in German and Italian 265
  21. Chapter 14. What does reduplication intensify? 289
  22. Chapter 15. Intensification strategies in German and Italian written language 305
  23. Chapter 16. Ways to intensify 327
  24. Chapter 17. Augmentatives in Italian and German 353
  25. Chapter 18. Intentional vagueness 371
  26. Index 391
https://doi.org/10.1075/slcs.189.03ghe

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. New insights on intensification and intensifiers 1
  4. Part I. The category of intensification
  5. Chapter 1. The comparative basis of intensification 15
  6. Chapter 2. Intensification and focusing 33
  7. Chapter 3. Intensification processes in Italian 55
  8. Chapter 4. Noun classification in Kiswahili 79
  9. Part II. Strategies of intensification in ancient languages: Hittite, Greek and Latin
  10. Chapter 5. Intensification and intensifying modification in Hittite 101
  11. Chapter 6. Diminutives in Ancient Greek 127
  12. Chapter 7. Nulla sum, nulla sum: Tota, tota occidi 147
  13. Part III. Strategies of intensification in modern languages: Italian, German, English
  14. Chapter 8. Intensifiers between grammar and pragmatics 173
  15. Chapter 9. Stress and tones as intensifying operators in German 193
  16. Chapter 10. English exclamative clauses and interrogative degree modification 207
  17. Part IV. Contrastive analysis of intensification in Italian and German
  18. Chapter 11. A pragmatic view on intensification 231
  19. Chapter 12. Intensifying structures of adjectives across German and Italian 251
  20. Chapter 13. The coordination of identical conjuncts as a means of strengthening expressions in German and Italian 265
  21. Chapter 14. What does reduplication intensify? 289
  22. Chapter 15. Intensification strategies in German and Italian written language 305
  23. Chapter 16. Ways to intensify 327
  24. Chapter 17. Augmentatives in Italian and German 353
  25. Chapter 18. Intentional vagueness 371
  26. Index 391
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