Publication details
Suffissi valutativi in Plauto : una proposta cognitivista e morfo-pragmatica
| Title in English | Evaluative suffixes in Plautus: a cognitivist and morpho-pragmatic proposal |
|---|---|
| Authors | |
| Year of publication | 2020 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Lingue antiche e moderne |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| web | https://lingue-antiche-e-moderne.it/article/view/1010 |
| Doi | http://dx.doi.org/10.4424/lam92020-3 |
| Keywords | Evaluative morphology; Latin; Cognitive linguistics; Morphopragmatics |
| Attached files | |
| Description | Latin evaluative suffi[es, especially diminutives, have received considerable attention in the relevant literature, but a morphological- pragmatic analysis of their uses is still lacking. This work aims at analysing the behavior of the archaic Latin suffi[ -llus within a theoretical framework combining 'ressler – Merlini Barbaresi’s (1994) morpho-pragmatic model and the cognitive perspective on polysemy and the pragmatic polyfunctionality of evaluative suffi[es. As an evaluative suffi[, -llus is used with a proper diminutive function that adds to the base the semantic component >small@. In many cases, however, -llus plays a function related to the comple[ system of relations between the speaker, the listener and the communicative situation. In such cases, it has scope on the entire speech-act and is used to e[press a range of meanings among which imprecision, attenuation, endearment, euphemism, irony, playful or generically affective attitude. |