From Bound to Free

On the Degrammaticalization of the Polish Intensifying Prefix prze

Bibliographic Data

ID21420061
AuthorsDamian Herda (0000-0002-0925-1805, Jagiellonian University, corresponding author)
Year2023
Volume69
Issue2
Pages161-178
Publication date2023-07-03
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueScando-Slavica (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0080-6765 • E-ISSN: 1600-082X
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/00806765.2023.2273332
OpenAlexW4389438342
LanguageEN
References cited24

Based on empirical material derived from the National Corpus of Polish and supplemental web-based sources, this paper provides an account of a recent change affecting the Polish intensifying prefix prze-, namely the emergence of its autonomous uses. It is argued that the development at issue exemplifies a rare linguistic process known as degrammaticalization, which incorporates phenomena running counter to a prototypical grammaticalization scenario. Firstly, the investigated Polish element seems to have undergone phonetic strengthening, as suggested by its relatively common separate spelling and occasional capitalization in non-edited, spontaneous written data. Secondly, the emancipated form has increased its morphosyntactic flexibility, as reflected by its appearance in reduplicative constructions, co-occurrence with verb phrases, independent occurrence in predicative settings, and the possibility of extraposition. And thirdly, it has been affected by semantic enrichment, i.e., it has additionally acquired an evaluative (positive) sense. The analyzed change is further claimed to be fueled by paradigmatic analogy to the frequent, well-established neoclassical elements super(-) and mega(-), which function as prefixal intensifiers as well as free intensifying and evaluative items, coupled with the general tendency for language change to involve renewal, whereby older expressive forms become superseded by novel, more vigorous expressions with the same meaning contents

Linguistics · Prefix · Language and Culture · Lexicography and Language Studies · Linguistics and language evolution · Philosophy

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