Antonyms as Intensifiers in Uighur

Abstract

In the context generalization mechanism, word meaning will be extended into new contexts. The transformation of adjectives denoting negatively valued qualities into intensifiers belongs to this type of mechanism. This process reflects a more general phenomenon: words with negative values may evolve into intensifiers. There are numerous examples which were gathered from colloquial and literary tradition across different languages. In Uighur, we perceive some adjectives with negative meaning can modify their antonyms after being grammaticalized. In the light of previous research approaches that were conducted on similar processes, this paper will discuss some adjectives which developed into intensifiers, such as yaman ‘bad; terrible’ (Old Uighur anïγ ‘bad; terrible’), sät ‘ugly; terrible,’ qattiq ‘hard, stiff; terrible’ (Old Uighur qatïγ ‘hard’), eγir ‘heavy; terrible,’ and wähši ‘terrible; extremely’ in contemporary Uighur, set their grammaticalization paths, and explore their grammaticalizational backgrounds. This paper argues that colloquialization is the main cause of this type of grammaticalization.