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Kruashvili Irina, Ph D. Doctor of Sciences Philology, Associate Professor (German Philology), Sokhumi State University, Tbilisi, Georgia
NOUNS WITH AUGMENTATIVE MEANING IN THE GERMAN WORDBUILDING
УСИЛИТЕЛЬНЫЕ СУЩЕСТВИТЕЛЬНЫЕ В НЕМЕЦКОМ СЛОВООБРАЗОВАНИИ
Аннотация
Под усилительными существительными объединены имена с обобщённым значением „большой" и „в очень высокой мере/степени". Часто для выражения этого значения употребляется ряд элементов, принадлежащих к группе аффиксоидов и выступающих как члены композитов. Усилительные существительные - этот термин применяется в немецком языке для обозначения эмоционально окрашенных словообразовательных конструкций, которые образованы с помощью преффиксоидов и которые, особенно в разговорной речи, служат для усиления выражения. Напр. Affenhitze, Bombenerfolg, Heidenangst, Hundekälte, Höllenlärm, Grundwiderspruch, Spitzenfilm, Höchstgeschwindigkeit, Riesenskandal. Как показывают примеры, развиваются разные оттенки основного усилительного значения: „очень большой", „слишком большой", „очень важный", „значительный". Префиксы также могут усилить значение базисного слова. Специализирован на выражении этого значения префикс erz-, часто в соединении с существительными, выражающими отрицательную оценку: Erzfeind, Erzrevanchist. Заимствованные префиксы также принимают участие в усилении значения: hyper-, super, maxi-, mega- и др.: Hyperinflation, Superauto, Maxirock, Megaparty.
В статье проанализированы словообразовательные конструкции, выражающие любые тончайшие нюансы усиления; в отдельности рассмотрены префиксоиды, немецкие и заимствованные префиксы, которые служат для усиления значения; приведены соответствующие примеры. В статье подчёркнут тот факт, что усилительные существительные играют значительную роль не только в словообразовательной системе, но и вообще в немецком языке, особенно в повседневной разговорной речи. Этим и объясняется тот большой интерес, который проявляют учёные к данному вопросу.
Ключевые слова: Усилительные существительные, аффиксоид, префиксоид, квазикомпозит, префиксальный дериват.
A well-developed system of augmentative meaning corresponds to the semantic and syntactic peculiarities of nouns. Sema of augmentation can be distinguished in those word-building
constructions, which denote the augmentation of a certain value expressed by a noun or increase, excess from the norm. The structures of augmentative meaning are termed "Augmentativ bildungen" in the German language. According to Bussmann's linguistic dictionary, "This term is used in reference with a large group of prefixoids tinted emotionally, which (especially, in the colloquial language) serve to the augmentation of the meaning" [1, 69]. Prefixoids (semi-prefixes) and suffixoids (semi-suffixes) are further integrated beneath with the common notion: affixoid (semi-affix).
On behalf of affixoids, there exist two mutually opposite opinions: most part of the scientists consider it possible to distinguish the class of affixoids between the composites and derivatives. Amongst them there can be cited: I. Kühnhold/O. Putzer/H. Wellmann, Th. Schippan, A. M. Kienpointner, H. Ortner/L. Ortner, J. Vögeding, M. D. Stepanova, M. Ruge, M. Bues, S. Stein, and others. G. D. Schmidt denies this word-building phenomenon and substantiates this by the fact that it is connected with great difficulties to determine the status of affixoids unambiguously and that such articulation of the word-building elements makes the study of the whole system even more complex [10, 61]. We believe that theoretically such a simplification can be justified, but the practical materials demonstrate that the category of affixoids deserves to be distinguished separately and the respective research must be continued, the more so, that the semi-affixation is connected with the dynamics of word-building processes not only in diachronic, but also within the synchronic interval of the language.
In reference with the affixoids, we deal with morphemes, which initially represented free words, and then, due to desemantization, became the components producing the word-building ranges and so took the character of affixes. Their meaning differs from the meaning of a free morpheme by the degree of generalization and by abstractness. The more a free morpheme develops into an affix, the more it loses the meaning of a free morpheme, until, already turned into affix, it becomes the complete homonym of a free morpheme. Such changes can be noticed in suffixes -werk (Schreibwerk, Naschwerk, Zuckerwerk) and -zeug (Schreibzeug, Nähzeug, Waschzeug).
Specifically, words as constituents of composites lose their semantic independence and this makes them acquire, above all, the categorical meaning. The higher the degree of their idiomatization and desemantization, the more these elements approach to affixes. The process of turning into real affixes can last during an indefinite time and words can find themselves in the category of affixoids for quite a long time. This process can be deemed as finished only when there appears the full homonymy between the word-building element and the free morpheme.
In Duden Dictionary of Meanings, the category of affixoids is already referred to among the word-building tools: "affixoids are ... the productive tools for word-building, by means of which - just as by means of affixes - it is possible to create a whole range of new words, but which -despite the fading out contents - have retained the status of a compositional member" [4, 8]. The word-building constructions cited here are still ascribed to composites and are defined as "affixoid composites" such as Hobbygärtner, Hobbykoch, Problemfamilie, Killerbiene, Tintenkiller.
In his early works, Fleischer takes down the circle of affixoids to the same elements, in which there is still possible the free use of morphemes and he discusses the transformation mainly in the
diachronic aspect. He considers the morphemes -werk, -los, as suffixes, inasmuch as they have no free morphemes carrying the same meaning. Fleischer indicates that there is going on the process of transformation into the homonyms, which can take a very long time. He substantiates this on the example of the free morpheme "Werk". This morpheme can be encountered already in the middle Upper Germanic in two meanings, which nowadays correspondent to homonymic morphemes. Part of those elements that are often considered to be affixoids, do function absolutely unambiguously as affixes and resembles to morphemes only by the form. Here we must discuss the homonymy, writes Fleischer. He substantiates this opinion by the morphemes los-/-los and werk-/-werk: loslaufen, losstürmen - freudlos, gedankenlos; Uhrwerk, Werkstatt - Schuhwerk, Zuckerwerk [7, 75]. Later Fleischer, in his joint work with Barz, shares G. D. Schmidt's opinion and refuses the use of the term "affixoid" [8, 227].
By Stepanova/Fleischer's opinion, the German language has the units, which occupy sort of an intermediate place: they represent the word-building tools possessing certain lexical-categorial importance, but, at the same time, they preserve both formal and semantic links with free morphemes. They form a so-called "intermediate zone" between the composite and the derivative, or between the compositional member and the affix [12, 153].
Due to the increasing number of examples and the variable semantics, Elsen considers as affixoids all those elements, which are placed in the boundary zone between the compositional member and the affix. The author explains this opinion by the circumstances that "the mentioned word-building constructions, true, resemble to determinative composites, but they differ from the compositional member and, the more so, just like the affixes, they are characterized by making ranges, occupying solid places in word-building constructions and combining with roots" [5, 67].
One group of affixoids - prefixoids - it is true, still occur as independent words, but they have already undertaken the road of development to prefixes and acquire generalized meanings, which they, as free morphemes, did not possess initially. Thus, for instance, on one hand, we have "Heide" as an independent lexeme and as a compositional member in composites such as "Heidenchrist", "Heidenchristentum", where "Heide" has the meaning of "Heathen." On the other hand, we have the prefixoid "Heiden-", which, due to desemantization, has lost its independent meaning and is used with the augmented meaning. For example, Heidenangst, Heidenarbeit, Heidenlärm, Heidengeld, Heidenrespekt, Heidenspaß. In such composites, "Heiden-" does not need "Heathen." Here it has indirect meanings: "very big," "very difficult," "very strong" and not "heathenly big" or "heathenly difficult."
According to Stepanova, the criteria for deeming an element to be an affixoid are as follows:
1. Its necessary formal coincidence with the root of the free morpheme.
2. Its etymological connection with the free morpheme, at the same time, its incidental coincidence with the non-relative root just in sounding is ruled out. Please, compare erz- and the noun Erz.
3. More or less serial nature, in other words, its use not one, but in several (often, many) words.
4. Its semantic resemblance with the corresponding free morpheme, in which the degree of alteration of the meaning can be various [15, 529].
Apart from the above-listed criteria, Stein believes to be the identification signs of an affixoid its solid place in a word-building construction as well as distributional limitations. Just like affixes, affixoids hold a solid position in reference with the second constituent and, at the same time, reveal certain distributional limitations. For instance, there exists "Heidenlärm", but * "Heidenstille" is inadmissible. [11, 192].
As we can see, there does not exist any uniform opinion about the criteria of identification of the affixoids. The word-building element believed to be affixoid by several scientists, is discussed as a sure affix or compositional member in other sources and vice versa. For instance, Weinrich considers the constituents: förmig, mäßig as semi-suffixes [14, 1006] whereas Stepanova discusses them as complex suffixes in the "Dictionary of Word-Building Elements of the German Language." Constituents fest, stark, schwer are incorporated into the class of semi-suffixes by Weinrich [14, 1005], whereas Stepanova avoids them altogether. -los that Stepanova believes to be a semi-suffix, is called by Fleischer a suffix [7, 273], and Elsen refers to it as -los suffixoid [5, 75]. Fleischer considers -werk as a suffix, whereas Elsen believes that -werk is a suffixoid [5, 75]. Among the word-building elements discussed as compositional members by Fleischer/Barz, such as Bombe, Heide, Hölle, Mord, Affe, Hund, Sau [8, 101], are called prefixoids by Elsen [5, 68], And Duden Grammar does not classify them at all. Here, in the common list of the augmentative formations, without concretization, there are given side by side the following word-building elements: Jahrhundert-, Mammut-, Monster-, Rekord-, Riesen-, Spitzen-, Traum-, Affen-, Heiden, Höllen-, Bullen-, Hunde-, Sau-, Bären-, Mords-, Maxi-, Mega-, Hyper-, Giga-, Ultra-, Über- [3, 741]. Some of the mentioned elements, namely, Mammut-, Riesen-, Spitzen-, Traum-, Affen-, Heiden-, Höllen-, Hunde-, Sau-, Mords - are believed to be prefixoids by Elsen, and some of them, namely, Maxi-, Mega-, Hyper-, Ulrta-, he considers to be prefixes [5, 95]. The element Makro- [8, 205] classified as a confix by Fleischer-Barz, is believed to be a prefix by Elsen [5, 95]. In certain dictionaries the word-building tools and range-forming constituents are indicated only in general terms in such a way that there is not specified whether this or that element is an affix, affixoid or a morpheme belonging to any other class [13, 9, 16]. In this connection, Elsen remarks rightfully that "often not only within one work, but also even within one dictionary, the terminological data vary too much" [6, 90].
We call "quasi-composite" a composite with an affixoid. As we have already mentioned above, composites with prefixoids are very productive in the German language, especially, in the speech of the young generation, as the emotional-stylistic element is more prominent with them. The specifics of such quasi-composites is found in the sharply expressed augmentative meaning of the first direct constituent, which takes the value denoted by the second direct constituent into a high degree.
The generalized sign of augmentation is expressed by noun prefixoids like: Affen-, Bullen-, Hunde-, Sau-, Heiden-, Bomben-, Höllen-, Mords-, Tod-, Riesen-, Ober-, Mammut-. The first four of them, denoting the animal species, are used as strong language and that's why they are very emotionalized.
Affen-: "very big" or "very large": Affentheater, Affenspektakel, Affengeschrei, Affenliebe, Affenhitze, Affensehnsucht, Affenkomödie, Affenschande, Affenarbeit.
Bullen-: "very large": Bullenhitze.
Hunde-: can be encountered with two nuances of augmentation: 1. "very much": Hundekälte, Hundeangst; 2. "very bad": Hundewetter, Hundeleben, Hundearbeit.
Sau-: occurs in two nuances of augmentation: 1. "very much": Sauwut, Sauangst, Saukälte, Sauhitze, Sauglück; 2. "very bad": Sauarbeit, Sauwetter, Saukerl, Sauwirtschaft, Saufraß.
Bomben-: "very large": Bombenerfolg, Bombengehalt, Bombenstimmung, Bombengeschäft, Bombenreklame, Bombenfest, Bombenrolle, Bombengeld.
Heiden-: "very large": Heidenangst, Heidenkrach, Heidenlärm, Heidenspaß, Heidengeld, Heidenspektakel.
Höllen-: "very large": Höllendurst, Höllenlärm, Höllentempo, Höllenqual, Höllenangst, Höllengeschrei, Höllentour, Höllenspektakel.
Mords-: "very large": Mordshitze, Mordsgefühl, Mordsgeschrei, Mordsglück, Mordshunger, Mordskrach, Mordsdurst, Mordskerl, Mordsspektakel.
Riesen-: "very large": Riesenschritt, Riesenarbeit, Riesenhunger, Riesenbrand, Riesenskandal, Riesenanstrengung, Riesenbau, Riesenschwung.
Tod-: "very large": Todesstille, Todesverachtung, Todesangst.
Ober-: "very large": Oberspinner, Obergauner, Obermacker, Oberbonze.
Mammut-: "very large": Mammutkonzern, Mammutbetrieb, Mammutaufgabe, Mammutfilm.
In the quasi-composited listed above, the meaning of augmentation and intensivity dominates. At the same time, Elsen believes that the fact that "the mentioned constituents lose their meaning not only in the composite directly, but the new formations are born with the already altered meanings of those elements, which have already lost their independence" [5, 68].
Quite often, the prefixoids Grund- and Haupt- are used is the synonymic meanings: Grundgedanke - Hauptgedanke, Grundfrage - Hauptfrage, Grundnahrungsmittel -Hauptnahrungsmittel. However, they have both semantic and distributional differences: Grund-emphasizes the main, essential, fundamental in an object, and it occurs mainly in the combination with abstractive names, e.g. Grundbedingung, Grundwiderspruch, Grundneigung, Grundlinie, Grundidee, Grundeinheit, Grundeindruck, Grundbestandteil. What about Haupt-, it takes to the foreground the features that are considered principal and it is mainly used together with the denominations of persons or objects, e.g.: Hauptsache, Hauptperson, Hauptdarsteller, Hauptbahnhof, Hauptmahlzeit.
The noun prefixoid Spitzen- assigns the meaning of "very good", "top grade" to objects and phenomena: Spitzenfilm, Spitzenbier, Spitzenleistung, Spitzendozent. Sometimes prefixoid-containing quasi-components with Spitzen- engage in competition by the word-building constructions with Höchst- element: Spitzengeschwindigkeit - Höchstgeschwindigkeit. Prefixoids: Traum-, Glanz-, Lieblings-, Meister-, Pracht-, Star-, Luxus-, Klasse- also serve to the expression of the meaning of "very good" (with various nuances), and, respectively, carry a positive assessment:
Traum-: "dream", "dreamlike": Traumberuf, Traumfrau, Traummann, Traumnote, Traumvilla, Traumfrisur, Traumfigur.
Glanz-: "brilliant": Glanzleistung, Glanzrolle.
Lieblings-: "lovely, dear": Lieblingsschriftsteller, Lieblingsdichter, Lieblingsfach, Lieblingsessen, Lieblingslied, Lieblingsthema, Lieblingsbuch.
Meister-: "masterlike, masterpiece": Meisterleistung, Meisterdetektiv.
Pracht-: "splendid, grand": Prachtjunge, Prachtweib, Prachtexemplar.
Star-: "starlike" or "characteristic of a star": Stardirigent, Staranwalt, Starbesetzung.
Luxus-: "luxury", "highest grade": Luxusauto, Luxuswohnung, Luxusausgabe.
Klasse-: "very good", "top grade": Klassefußball, Klassefrau. If the mentioned word-building element has been appended by the consonant "n" in the form of a joining element, then its meaning will be altered. Please compare Klassezimmer - "an outstandingly good room" and Klassenzimmer - "school room or auditorium."
The prefixoid Bilderbuch- expresses the meaning of "ideal": Bilderbuchgeschichte, Bilderbuchkarriere, Bilderbuchfamilie, Bilderbuchlandung, Bilderbuchehe.
The prefixoid Herzens- is less emotionalized and, respectively, is characterized by the universal use: Herzensfreude, Herzensangst, Herzensschrei, Herzensbedürfnis, Herzenslust.
As a counterweight of prefixoids expressing positive assessment, we have prefixoids denoting the meaning of "very bad": Scheiß-, Mist- and Schweine-: Scheißarbeit, Scheißmusik, Scheißkerl, Scheißwetter, Mistkerl, Miststück, Mistwetter, Schweinearbeit, Schweinekerl. Yet, it must be noted that Schweine- is also used with the meaning of "very much" or "great", for instance: Schweinegeld, Schweineglück.
Elsen does not consider the word-building elements Stink- and Bären- as prefixoids. He gives as an argument the circumstance that "the number of composites formed by them is still small. E.g.: Bärenhunger, -kälte, Stinklaune, -wut' [5, 69]. The scientist remarks in the same passage that "the meaning of formations containing prefixoids demands always re-checking as, parallel to elements with prefixoids, there are almost always present the usual determinative composites, e.g., Reisenkampf (the fight between giants in fairy tales), Haupthaar, Bombenleger, Grundbuch, Spitzentanz, Höllenfürst" [5, 69]. In such doubtful cases, context and word accent can be helpful for us. In an ordinary determinative composite, the accent strikes on the first direct constituent, and in case of a composite with a prefixoid or a quasi-composite, the accent becomes distributed on both constituents, for instance, Bömben-wirkung ("bomb action") and Bömben-wirkung ("great, strong action").
What about the noun derivatives, their nominating function implies modification of the meanings of already existing nouns. They have almost no participation in the compression of syntax constructions. During the prefixation there occurs determination of the substantive root form with the morpheme prefix: Urwald - ur + Wald. As prefix derivatives reveal a high degree of motivation, it is not too difficult to understand them. In the sphere of nouns, prefixation is less developed. The seme of augmentation is contained in the German prefixes: erz- and ur-.
The noun derivatives with the prefix erz- occur in the modern German language in small numbers. Their use starts mainly from the 17th century. The prefix erz- is characterized by the augmentative meaning and is connected mainly with the names denoting the negative persons. The basic word can be both a simplex and a suffix derivative: Erzgauner, Erzlügner, Erzfeind,
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Erzrevanchist, Erzhippie, Erzkapitalist.
The prefix ur- is used also with the augmentative meaning and it implies the features of initial situation, of a phenomenon that is distant in terms of time. It is connected both with simplex nouns and with suffix derivatives: Urmensch, Urzeit, Urgeschichte, Urelefant, Uraufführung, Ursprache, Urbevölkerung, Ureinwohner. The prefix ur- has the pure augmentative meaning mainly with deadjective nouns and noun suffix derivatives, e.g., Urgemütlichkeit, Urmusikanten. In words meaning family connections, the word-building constructions with the prefix ur- imply always the generation which is earlier in one generation, e.g., Großmutter - Urgroßmutter ("grandmother -great grandmother"), Großvater - Urgroßvater ("grandfather - great grandfather").
The German prefixes are challenged into competition by the foreign (borrowed) prefixes carrying the augmentative meaning: super-, hyper-, maxi-, mega-.
super- mainly carries the positive evaluation. It is especially frequently used in the speech of the young generation, e.g., Superauto, Superfilm, Superhotel, Supermusik.
The prefix hyper-, too, contains a sema of augmentation, but as distinct from Super-, it expresses a deviation from the norm with a pejorative tint and means the same as "too much", "excessively": Hyperinflation, Hyperfunktion, Hyperprogramm, Hypererregung. These constructions carry an ironic tint, they contain a component of excessiveness, exaggeration and that is why they are perceived as some sort of negative forms. According to Donalies, the prefix Hyper- serves to a certain emphasis. The prefix, at the same time, shows us that certain limit or norm is crossed: Hyperästhetik means excessive aesthetics" [2, 98].
The prefix maxi- semantically concretizes the basis in the reference with the value. According to Donalies, "Maxibrief is a larger letter (Brief) in compare with other normal letters" [2, 99]. Similar formations include: Maxibildschirm, Maxirock, Maxipackung, Maxisingle, Maxiversion, Maxifete.
The prefix mega-, too, semantically concretizes the basis and serves to the emphasis: Megashow, Megaparty, Megahit, Megaflopp, Megaereignis. Megaparty is an especially large, outstanding, splendid party; Megashow stands out of all other shows by its pomposity.
As we can see, the nouns of augmentative meaning are presented in the German language mainly in the form of prefixoid quasi-composites and prefix derivatives. The main, basic component in represented in both cases by a noun. Despite the fact that all the analysed models and word-building constructions express augmentation, still there are shaped the different nuances in them. Some of the formations denote deviation from the norm or carry a negative tint, whereas others, in the opposite, imply a positive evaluation. Yet, the common feature of all the above-discussed word-building constructions is the fact that they are characteristic for the speech that is tinted emotionally.
References
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