A corpus-based study of maximizer–adjective patterns in Croatian

Abstract

Maximizers represent a subclass of degree modifiers that convey the highest degree to which a property can be carried out. This paper studies five Croatian near-synonymous maximizers (all meaning “completely, totally”), viz. posve, potpuno, sasvim, skroz, and totalno, as a part of <maximizer + adjective> construction. It is assumed here that analysed pairings act as (semi)-prefabricated units with maximizers that impose particular modes of construal. To analyse the subtle semantic differences of examined maximizers, we shall turn to the distributional hypothesis and examine contexts in which maximizers occur. Using a combination of analytical statistics (collostructional analysis) and multifactorial methods (hierarchical agglomerative cluster analysis and correspondence analysis), we aim to examine similarities (proximities) and differences (distances) between analysed constructions in order to understand intricate relationships among maximizers, fostering valuable insights into their semantics. The findings of this study provide insight into the interplay of the Croatian maximizers and adjectives.