"He loved his father but next to adored his mother": Nigh(ly), Near, and Next (To) as Downtoners. (March 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Brinton, Laurel J.
• Is Part Of: Journal of English linguistics. Volume 49:Number 1(2021)
• Page Start: 39
• Page End: 60
• Publication Date: 2021-03
• Subjects: downtoner -- approximator -- degree adjunct -- degree modifier -- grammaticalization -- incipient grammaticalization -- incomplete grammaticalization; English language -- Periodicals; 420.5
• DOI: 10.1177/0075424220979126
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0075-4242

Abstract

In Present-Day English, nearly functions as an approximator downtoner meaning 'almost, all but, virtually, ' as do earlier variants based on the same root— nigh, nighly, near, next ( to )—though more rarely and in more restricted contexts. Nigh functions as an approximator downtoner in Old and Middle English. When near displaces nigh, nigh is retained as a downtoner with lexical adjectives expressing negative semantic prosody. Near is used as a downtoner in later Middle and Early Modern English. However, degree adjunct uses are not well attested, thus pointing to incomplete grammaticalization. During the eighteenth century, the new -ly form ( nearly ) takes over the innovative downtoner function and the old form ( near ) is retained in the original locative sense, with some remnant downtoner uses. Next ( to ) grammaticalizes as a downtoner, but proceeds only to the degree modifier stage and involves a high degree of idiomaticization, thus suggesting incipient grammaticalization. As spatial adverbs, nigh / near / next ( to )/ nearly represent one of the well-known sources for the grammaticalization of degree adverbs. However, these forms seem to follow a pathway where the degree modifier use (adjective/participle modifier) precedes the degree adjunct use (verb modifier), contrary to the reverse pathway postulated for other degree adverbs.