고려대학교

초록/요약

The purpose of this study is to investigate the words of low degree such as ‘čut’, edva’ and to determine the semantic, grammatical, pragmatic characteristics of these words. The words of low degree can be defined as function of lowering the degree about some component in a sentence. Degree word ‘čut’, edva’ have semantic property of indefinite quantification, relative and absolute comparison, marginal quantification, psychological estimation. These words has expanded its meaning and function in the actual discourse and can play a role of grammatical marker. ‘Čut’, edva’ can be used as conjunction which means immediate shift of two events, and form the complex sentence. A combination of ‘čut’, edva’ and negative particle ‘ne’ functions as marker of proximative aspectuality. In this case ‘čut’ ne, edva ne’ have the meaning of counterfactuality and are interpreted as ‘on the verge of ~ing’. On the discourse level, degree word can reveal speaker’s subjective viewpoint about probability of proposition. A combination of ‘edva’ and negative particle ‘ne’ can be used as discourse marker of doubt. On the contrary to this, ‘čut’ li ne, edva li ne’ are used to express the evaluation of speaker’s confidence about proposition or high gradability. In this way, words of low degree have the characteristics of flexibility and variability and show empathic and persuasive effect.