When two paths converge: debonding and clipping of Dutch reuze 'lit. giant; great'
(2014) Journal of Germanic Linguistics — Vol. 26, n° 1, p. 31-64 (2014)
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- Abstract
- Dutch reuze(n)(-) has a wide range of synchronic uses that form part of a broad categorical and semantic continuum. Derived from the noun reus 'giant', it is often used as a point of comparison in nominal and adjectival compounds (e.g. reuzegroot 'lit. giant-big; as big as a giant'), but it can also express a merely intensifying function (e.g. reuzeleuk 'lit. giant-funny; very funny'). Moreover, it currently occurs as an independent adjective and adverb, while keeping its morphological linking morpheme -e- and intensifying value (e.g. Het feestje was reuze 'the party was great'). Drawing on synchronic and diachronic corpus data, this paper argues that the emergence of the independent uses of reuze(n) should be accounted for by both debonding (an instance of degrammaticalization) and clipping.
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Citations
Van Goethem, K., & Hiligsmann, P. (2014). When two paths converge: debonding and clipping of Dutch reuze ‘lit. giant; great’. Journal of Germanic Linguistics, 26(1), 31-64. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1470542713000172 (Original work published 2014)