Enhancement Particles
The increase particles (also: degree modifiers, degree particles, intensity particles, intensifiers ) form a subclass of the part of speech particle . The increase particles signal that the immediately following statement of adjectives or adverbs with regard to a norm considered by the speaker to be generally valid was undercut or exceeded.
In a few cases, the reference expression to increase particles can also be a verb , but never a noun .
Examples of enhancement particles: something, right, very, extremely, extremely, far, too, somewhat
Examples
- She is a very / very / extremely / reasonably generous person. (Reference term: adjective)
- She has forgiven him very / too often . (Reference expression: adverb)
- It was snowing a lot . (Reference expression: verb)
See also
literature
- Helmut Glück (Ed.): Metzler Lexicon Language. Metzler, Stuttgart / Weimar 1993, p. 602.
- Gerhard Helbig, Joachim Buscha: German grammar. 18th edition. Langenscheidt / Verlag Enzyklopädie Leipzig, Leipzig a. a. 1998, p. 478.
Web links
Wiktionary: Increase particle - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations