The construction of excess and sufficiency from a crosslinguistic perspective

Abstract

The concepts of excess (`too') and sufficiency (`enough') and their expressions are studied crosslinguistically. An examination of these concepts across 59 languages shows that a distinction must be made between dedicated marking of excess and sufficiency and contextually determined interpretations of other meanings (including various degree meanings). It is argued that the concepts of excess and sufficiency are inherently associated with the concept of goal-directedness. This is reflected in the way these concepts are encoded and used across languages and in the difference between the construction of excess and sufficiency and resultative degree constructions.

Intensifiers and image schemas: Schema type determines intensifier type

“…Fortuin (2013) offers evidence that the results may be positive: In numerous languages, the concepts of excess and sufficiency are associated with path and goal. Thus, one would expect to find that path morphemes develop into elements that boost degree and endpoint-focus morphemes into elements that are Maximizers or Excessivizers, depending one whether the endpoint is reached or surpassed.…”

“…This assumption finds support in the cognitive science and typological literature. Specifically, cognitive science research suggests that image schemas are incorporated into non-spatial, non-imageable types of knowledge (Mandler & Cánovas 2014: 527), and research in typology shows that spatial words frequently grammaticalize as degree words and morphemes cross-linguistically (Fortuin 2013). Bolinger (1972) and Kirchner (1955), the intensifier way is descendent of away.…”

Swedish orka viewed through its English correspondences – ability, insufficient strength/energy or insufficient volition?

“…In addition, sufficiency may be contextually derived, e.g. by simple juxtaposition (see Fortuin, 2013 for a survey of ways of expressing sufficiency across 59 typologically diverse languages). It is rare, however, for sufficiency to be incorporated in the meaning of verbs.…”

“…Fortuin, 2013). The Swedish original also has tillräckligt 'enough', which, in a sense, 'doubles' the sufficiency component of orka.…”

“…We also note that orka predominantly occurs in negative polarity contexts, and speculate that the relatively recent use of the imperative form orka in informal talk, meaning something along the lines of 'I could not be bothered', might have its source in such negative connotations. In addition to offering a specified semantic description of the Swedish verb orka, our study contributes to crosslinguistic studies of expressions of sufficiency meanings and sufficiency as a meaning component in verbs (Fortuin, 2013). …”