Home Chapter 13. The coordination of identical conjuncts as a means of strengthening expressions in German and Italian
Chapter
Licensed
Unlicensed Requires Authentication

Chapter 13. The coordination of identical conjuncts as a means of strengthening expressions in German and Italian

  • Marina Foschi
View more publications by John Benjamins Publishing Company
Search
Exploring Intensification
This chapter is in the book Exploring Intensification

Abstract

The article deals with syntactic units which are formed in German and in Italian by means of coordination of identical conjuncts with und or e. The resulting structure can be characterized as x ˄ x. x ˄ x units show weak productivity with a strong tendency to idiomaticity. They are often seen as stylistic means and idiomatic expressions to which the general rules of coordination do not strictly apply. Coordination of identical conjuncts is usually viewed as a case of “false coordination”, wherein the und/e conjugation does not have linking function. x ˄ x expressions are often used for specific stylistic effects, including intensification. Based on the observation of about 100 authentic examples in both languages, the article offers a description of different types of x ˄ x structures, in order to focus on those serving as intensifiers. The main issues addressed regard the roles of reduplication and conjunction in the intensification and the status of x ˄ x structures (independent groups or idioms). First contrastive observations are offered about frequency, form and function of x ˄ x structures in German and in Italian.

Abstract

The article deals with syntactic units which are formed in German and in Italian by means of coordination of identical conjuncts with und or e. The resulting structure can be characterized as x ˄ x. x ˄ x units show weak productivity with a strong tendency to idiomaticity. They are often seen as stylistic means and idiomatic expressions to which the general rules of coordination do not strictly apply. Coordination of identical conjuncts is usually viewed as a case of “false coordination”, wherein the und/e conjugation does not have linking function. x ˄ x expressions are often used for specific stylistic effects, including intensification. Based on the observation of about 100 authentic examples in both languages, the article offers a description of different types of x ˄ x structures, in order to focus on those serving as intensifiers. The main issues addressed regard the roles of reduplication and conjunction in the intensification and the status of x ˄ x structures (independent groups or idioms). First contrastive observations are offered about frequency, form and function of x ˄ x structures in German and in Italian.

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.189.14fos

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
Sign up now to receive a 20% welcome discount
Institutional Access
How does access work?
Have an idea on how to improve our website?
Please write us.
© 2025 De Gruyter Brill
Downloaded on 10.9.2025 from https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1075/slcs.189.14fos/html
Scroll to top button