LINGUIST List 3.79

Sat 25 Jan 1992

Disc: Postposed Intensifiers

Editor for this issue: <>

Directory

1. , Re: 3.065 Not, Big Time, Synaesthesia
2. Maggi Sokolik, as if
3. Kaitulai Khamahle, Postposed Intensifiers
4. "FRANK R. BRANDON", Re: 3.75 Postposed Intensifiers in English

Message 1: Re: 3.065 Not, Big Time, Synaesthesia

I think the punctuation of big time is quite like that of "Not."
Saying, "I'm hungry big time." is much more awkward than saying
"I'm hungry. Big time."

In addition, I believe it is more often used as a response to a
question than as a declarative statement. Thus, it's more natural
to answer "Are you hungry?" with "Big time." than it is to just
blurt out "I'm hungry. Big time." Only someone who was totally faced
or completely gauche would say such a thing.

As for big time modifying only bad phenomena, answering questions such
as "Are you in love with Bob?" or "Do you want to go shopping?" with
an emphatic "Big time!" seems natural and positive to me.

Lisa Russell

Here's another one to add to the list of "way, not, big time..."
as if.

The usage I heard was to indicate the improbability of the previous
statement (both spoken by the same person).

"I'd love to go to Switzerland, as if."

Maggi Sokolik
Texas A&M

When I was in Melbourne, Australia years ago I remember being struck by
the use of "but" as an intensifier by teenagers, e.g.

"I'm hungry but!"

I've never heard this anywhere else, but
It was peculiar how natural the usage sounded to me right from
the first--almost as if it was something English SHOULD do, even
if it didn't in other dialects.

Message 4: Re: 3.75 Postposed Intensifiers in English

My 12 year old daughter uses 'majorly' all the time: "The test was like
majorly difficult." That's all the way down here in Fort Worth, Texas.