A contrastive study of intensity constructions: The [Adjective + PP]intensity in German, Italian and French

Abstract

Intensity constructions consisting of a copula verb followed by an adjective with a prepositional phrase ([Subj - Vcopula - Adjective - PP]intensity, e.g., Germ. verrückt nach etwas sein, It. essere pazzo/a di qualcosa, Fr. être fou/folle de quelque chose) are an interesting linguistic phenomenon (on the valency of adjectives see Matsekh-Ukrayinskyy 2015). Despite prior research on linguistic intensity from various perspectives, this topic remains underexplored in contrastive linguistics and its definition often lacks consistency (cf. Bowers 1963; Liebrecht 2015; Liebrecht, Hustinx, and van Mulken 2019). Following Liebrecht (2015), intensity can be expressed by a linguistic element that, when omitted or replaced, results in a weaker evaluation (e.g., She’s crazy about classical music vs. She loves classical music). This study investigates the semantic, syntactic, and cultural dimensions of ([Subj - Vcopula - Adjective - PP]intensity constructions in German, Italian and French in the framework of Construction Grammar, using data from the TenTen corpora of the SketchEngine. After a short overview of possible adjectives in this construction the paper focuses on two German specific intensity constructions, verrückt nach etwas sein and besessen von etwas sein and their equivalents in Italian (essere pazzo/a di, ossessionato/a da) and French (être fou/folle de, obsédé(e) par). These constructions express an EXPERIENCER's higher appreciation of a STIMULUS. To start with, our analysis addresses the following research questions: • How frequent are these constructions? • Are they used in specific collocations (e.g., with particular adjectives or adverbs?) • What degree of syntactic flexibility do they allow? How is the prepositional phrase structured (e.g., noun phrase vs. infinitive)? • In an intralinguistic perspective, are both constructions synonymous or do they exhibit significant differences in usage and meaning? In a second step, the study contrasts these constructions across the three languages, uncovering typological and cultural differences. Specific questions include: • How do prepositions vary in their realization across German, Italian, and French? • What semantic fields do the nouns in the prepositional phrase belong to? • What cultural preferences or values are reflected in these constructions? Do Italian and French exhibit similar patterns due to their shared Romance typology? Using a combination of collocation frequency measures and qualitative semantic analysis, the study provides novel insights into the interplay between linguistic structure and cultural representation. By examining how intensity is expressed in German, Italian and French, we aim to reveal how typological and cultural differences shape linguistic patterns, contributing to a broader understanding of intensity constructions in contrastive linguistics. References Bowers J. W. (1963). Language intensity, social introversion, and attitude change. Speech Monographs, 30, 345-352. Liebrecht C. (2015). Intens krachtig. Stilistische intensiveerders in evaluatieve teksten [Intensely powerful. Language intensity in evaluative texts] (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Nijmegen: Radboud University Nijmegen. Liebrecht, C., Hustinx, L., & van Mulken, M. (2019). The Relative Power of Negativity: The Influence of Language Intensity on Perceived Strength. Journal of Language and Social Psychology, 38(2), 170-193. https://doi.org/10.1177/0261927X18808562. Matsekh-Ukrayinskyy, L (2015). Adjektivvalenz und präpositionale Komplemente. Eine framebasierte Untersuchung zu Syntax und Semantik der präpositionalen Komplemente bei Adjektiven. Berlin: Lang