(Пре)модификација придева негативне семантике јаким и ослабљеним модификаторима

Abstract

In this paper we examine the possibility of modification of adjectives with negative semantics with weak modifier a little and modifier pre-. Based on our corpus analysis we have determined that modifier pre- can be combined with adjectives with negative semantics, even though such adjective phrases should be blocked due to the „idea of excessiveness“ that this modifies carries. Corpus also confirms examples with weak modifier a little and adjectives with negative semantics, even though such constructions are not natural in Serbian language. Our goal is to examine why only examples of recent date demonstrate this state, and to determine whether the reason for this can be found in morphological, scalar and phonological properties of adjectives and modifiers.