On the emergence of the stance-marking function of English adverbs : A case of intensifiers

Stance-marking is nearly ubiquitous and possibly inevitable in most instances of language use. One of the prominent functions of English adverbs is their stance-marking function, especially in the domain of illocutionary modification, i.e., intensification. This paper addresses the developmental processes of 72 stance-marking adverbs tracing their lexical origin in history, focusing on their source characteristics and mechanisms whereby they acquired this (inter)subjective function. A historical analysis reveals that the lexical sources of these stance-markers largely belong to four major semantic categories, i.e. MARKEDNESS, COMPLETENESS, EMOTION and TABOO. Among the notable observations is the pattern of semantic change involved in the development, i.e., abstraction from the referring function or description of tangible objects to denoting highly subjective meanings. Another notable aspect in the development is their movement toward form-function iconicity, i.e., use of adjectival forms in place of adverbial forms. Also evident in the development are (inter)subjectification, creativity, renewal and frequency effect, among others. (Hankuk University of Foreign Studies)