PRZYMIOTNIKI GRADACYJNE Z PREFIKSEM OBW GWARACH I HISTORII JĘZYKA POLSKIEGO
Gradation adjectives with the prefix obin dialects and history of the Polish language

Summary/Abstract: The object of the discussion is adjectives characterised by the prefi x ob-, which were recorded in the historical Polish language from the 15th to the 19th century and in Polish dialects, e.g. obluźny, obstary, obstarni, obdłużny, obrzedni, obcienkawy. These are adjectival derivatives the meanings of which are usually an incomplete or weak characteristic found in the stem. Based on an analysis of historical and dialectal data derived from published sources (dictionaries, monographs) and unpublished ones (the index of Słownik gwar polskich (Dictionary of Polish Dialects)), the predominance of the prefi x-suffi x derivation (formants: ob-/-ny, -ni, -szy, -awy) over prefi x derivation was ascertained. Attention was also drawn also to the tautological function of the prefi x ob-, e.g. in obsuchy ‘suchy’ (‘dry’). The repartition of the adjectives formed with the prefi x in Poland clearly shows the withdrawal process of older formations the occurrence of which was restricted mainly to southern parts of the Polish language area. The inclusion of other Slavic backgrounds allows the discernment of peripherisms, situated in the margin of the Slavic language area, in the examples of formations with the prefi x ob- that have been preserved in Poland.

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