Modalităţi expresive de redare a gradării superlative prin supin în limba română
Expressive Means of Rendering the Superlative Degree by Supine in Romanian

Summary/Abstract: The present study aims at discussing one of the possible means to express an Absolute Superlative in Romanian: the Supine with consecutive meaning. This non-finite verbal form occurs in a special construction: Adverb + de + Adjective (or Adverb), the Supine being a dependent term and relating itself to the head by the postposition de. There are many adverbial Supines in pre-position to the adjectives or adverbs it modifies: neajuns de, neasemuit de, neaşteptat de, nebănuit de, neclintit de, necrezut de a.s.o. They represent an unsuspected source of expressiveness, being encountered not only in literary texts and employed for stylistic effects, but also in journalism to serve different purposes in describing people, objects or things. Their contextual synonyms are also adverbs having enhancing content and carrying gradual-superlative semes. The relationship with the head is established by the postposition de: admirabil de, excepţional de, extraordinar de, extrem de. The Supine can be used to convey the same intensive meaning when it is placed after the adjectives or adverbs: frumoasă de nespus, orgolioasă de necrezut a.s.o. Another type of Supines with superlative value discharges either the function of Subject Complement or that of Attribute, being replaceable by adjectives derived both with a negative prefix (in-, im-, i-) and a modal suffix (-bil). It therefore results that Romanian has developed a wide range of adverbs with superlative role. The Supines belonging to this class are represented by a great number of lexemes (we estimated at least 23 by checking the Explanatory Dictionary of Romanian and different literary pieces and newspapers).

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