Cognitive and interactional processes in uses of the cause-effect degree construction with an intensifier
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22409/2yqxed66Keywords:
graduation, construction, cognitive processes, interactional aspects, Usage-Based Functional LinguisticsAbstract
In this paper, we analyze the cognitive and interactional processes underlying the cause-effect degree construction with an intensifier (CGCEI, in Portuguese), a linguistic pattern that licenses tokens such as esgotados de tanto trabalhar, ridículo de tão fácil, and rouca de tanto cantar. Our theoretical support is the Usage-based Functional Linguistics (Furtado da Cunha; Bispo, 2013; Furtado da Cunha; Bispo, 2023), articulating concepts from Construction Grammar (Goldberg, 1995) and Cognitive Linguistics (Lakoff; Johnson, 1980). Methodologically, we conduct a qualitative and quantitative analysis of 444 occurrences of the CGCEI extracted from the Corpus do Português (NOW sample). Cognitively, the results reveal that the construction under analysis is modeled by metaphorical and metonymic operations based on IMPACTFUL EXPERIENCE frames. Furthermore, the data show that the CGCEI is perspectivized from the notion of effect as a viewpoint over the notion of cause. Pragmatically, the results point to the role of invited inference and (inter)subjectivity in instances of the construction, aiming to achieve diverse discursive effects.
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