Gimme some. Tracking -some adjectives in OED3: a study of the diachronic morphosemantic behaviour of the suffix -some
Résumé
This exploratory lexicographic study of 262 -some adjectival derivatives aims to determine morphosemantic patterns of change of the adjectival formation.
In a first step, using the OED3 data to generate 262 -some adjectives, a timeline of output is proposed to determine the historical output of the formation, with a view to identifying potential productivity. A morphological analysis shows that -some output is divided into denominal adjectives (Nsome: 116), deverbal adjectives (Vsome: 68), deadjectival adjectives (Adjsome: 32). Further categories include N/V some 26, and OTHER (20, including some unknowns and numerals). A semantic analysis is then carried out, using the OED definitions to identify key senses of the adjectival -some forms, producing 8 major semantic behaviours.
1. RELATED TO N/V (tastesome, wintersome, toysome)
2. TYPICAL OF (jokesome, marmsome, mothersome, friendsome)
3. TENDENCY TO (muddlesome 1887, moansome, picksome, growsome 1579)
4. FULL OF N (quirksome, perilsome)
5. CAUSING V or N (picklesome 1885, chillsome)
6. ADJ ISH (lithesome, roughsome, weirdsome)
7. GROUP OF N (twosome, threesome, foursome)
8. INTENDED FOR V (relishsome, cuddlesome, wieldsome)
These 8 semantic patterns display a high morphosemantic correlation between semantic type and base word type. They also display some overlap, showing semantic extension through metonymical processes (mainly CAUSE/EFFECT). A discussion of the 8 types is provided with a view to identifying primary and secondary senses.
In a second step, a correlation between morphosemantic types and timeline output is carried out to detect historical patterns of output. The patterns of of Vsome and Nsome output are shown to have major increases at two different time periods. Notably, Nsome consistently outperforms Vsome until 1750, at which point Vsome briefly but considerably outperforms Nsome until 1900. Finally, the question of the success and longevity of -some adjectives is tackled in view of the many infrequent or rare historical -some adjectives, contrasting with a few highly frequent lexicalised words (handsome 1440, lonesome 1647, troublesome 1548, tiresome 1513). The objective is to determine the specificity of denominal and deverbal -some formations over competing adjectival formations, such as delightsome/ delightful, dolesome/doleful, gleesome/gleeful.
In a first step, using the OED3 data to generate 262 -some adjectives, a timeline of output is proposed to determine the historical output of the formation, with a view to identifying potential productivity. A morphological analysis shows that -some output is divided into denominal adjectives (Nsome: 116), deverbal adjectives (Vsome: 68), deadjectival adjectives (Adjsome: 32). Further categories include N/V some 26, and OTHER (20, including some unknowns and numerals). A semantic analysis is then carried out, using the OED definitions to identify key senses of the adjectival -some forms, producing 8 major semantic behaviours.
1. RELATED TO N/V (tastesome, wintersome, toysome)
2. TYPICAL OF (jokesome, marmsome, mothersome, friendsome)
3. TENDENCY TO (muddlesome 1887, moansome, picksome, growsome 1579)
4. FULL OF N (quirksome, perilsome)
5. CAUSING V or N (picklesome 1885, chillsome)
6. ADJ ISH (lithesome, roughsome, weirdsome)
7. GROUP OF N (twosome, threesome, foursome)
8. INTENDED FOR V (relishsome, cuddlesome, wieldsome)
These 8 semantic patterns display a high morphosemantic correlation between semantic type and base word type. They also display some overlap, showing semantic extension through metonymical processes (mainly CAUSE/EFFECT). A discussion of the 8 types is provided with a view to identifying primary and secondary senses.
In a second step, a correlation between morphosemantic types and timeline output is carried out to detect historical patterns of output. The patterns of of Vsome and Nsome output are shown to have major increases at two different time periods. Notably, Nsome consistently outperforms Vsome until 1750, at which point Vsome briefly but considerably outperforms Nsome until 1900. Finally, the question of the success and longevity of -some adjectives is tackled in view of the many infrequent or rare historical -some adjectives, contrasting with a few highly frequent lexicalised words (handsome 1440, lonesome 1647, troublesome 1548, tiresome 1513). The objective is to determine the specificity of denominal and deverbal -some formations over competing adjectival formations, such as delightsome/ delightful, dolesome/doleful, gleesome/gleeful.