English Intensifiers as Devices of Emotional Enhancement

Intensifiers are adverbials or adverbial phrases that are used to enhance the meanings of certain constructions. The study aims to investigate English intensifiers and their functions as devices of emotional enhancement .Moreover; they identify students with this grammatical item. The significance of the research is that intensifiers function as linguistic devices to maximize the meaning or, in a certain sense, intensify the emotional tone of words and expressions. Some commonly used intensifiers include very, too, at all, absolutely, extremely, really, wh-words or expressions , etc. e.g. what on earth are you doing? In terms of their semantic classes, intensifiers can be divided into Amplifiers , Emphasizers and Downtoners . The problem of this research is that the students find it difficult to comprehend the functions of English intensifiers. In terms of the method used in this research, the researcher tries to give a detailed analysis of the most common English intensifiers. An exercise relevant to the topic is adopted to enhance the research. The analysis of the results reveals that the third-year Iraqi college students succeed in operating intensifiers in a way that shows their ability to handle this grammatical item.


Hypotheses
It is hypothesised that: 1-English intensifiers function as devices of emotional enhancement. 2-There are different semantic functions of English intensifiers

Methodology
The researcher follows the inductive method due to its appropriateness for this type of research. Starting with making general and specific observations on the use of English intensifiers as devices of emotional enhancement, the researcher moves further to give a detailed analysis of the most common English intensifiers, the semantic classification of English intensifiers and the common use of certain intensifiers as devices to enhance the emotional expression. Since the research is concerned with a linguistic phenomenon, represented in the use of English intensifiers as devices of emotional enhancement, its data are a set of the most common English intensifiers which are employed as examples to answer the research questions and prove the research hypotheses. Moreover, I will conduct an exercise relevant to my subject.

Scope of the Study
This study is delimited to examining the use of English intensifiers as devices to enhance the emotional expression. It is an attempt to explore the most common English intensifiers. Moreover, it sheds light on the semantic classification of English intensifiers.

Significance of the Study
English language is rich with intensifiers. Such intensifiers act as linguistic devices that maximize the meaning, or in a sense, add emotional tone to words and expressions. Moreover, English intensifiers have different semantic functions. By highlighting the most common English intensifiers, their semantic classification and the role they play as devices of emotional enhancement, this study generates an understanding of English intensifiers and their semantic functions. It provides information for other researchers, as well as learners of English, about the emotional function of English intensifiers.

Background and Problem Statement
English intensifiers, which are known as degree words, represent an important aspect of expression.Their role is basically that they add something to the meaning, or in a sense, enhance the meaning of the word they modify. They mainly "work as modifiers of certain adjectives or adverbs. Moreover, they reflect the level or the degree to which the quality is present" (Méndez-Naya, 2003: 372). In this connection, Romero (2012: 5), while discussing English intensifiers, rightly pointed out that "The word 'degree' is often applied in relation to this linguistic phenomenon...". It should be noted that adjectives "are considered as the most commonly intensified parts of speech" (Bäcklund 1973: 279).
Truly, the word intensify is very close to the word emphasize. In this context, intensifiers are emphasizers of meaning and their function is "to strengthen or emphasize other words" (Stardy, 2019: 160).Moreover, intensifiers work as maximizers of emotions in the sense that they enhance the emotional expression of the word they modify. In this respect, intensifiers maximize the degree of emotional expression. They typically "raise degrees of emotivity and evaluation" (Techacharoenrungrueang, 2019). This point implies a sense that emotional maximization is the intensifiers' primary function, "intensifiers reflect a speaker's feeling, or in a sense, his or her attitude towards someone or something" ‫ج‬ (Jing-Schmidt, 2005: 219;Caffi& Janney, 1994: 325-373;Labov, 1984:43;Techacharoenrungrueang, 2019: 38).
Despite the fact that researches on English intensifiers started in the twentieth century, the function and semantic classification of English intensifiers is still a significant research field due to the complexity of using such words. Moreover, the use of intensifiers as devices of emotional enhancement, as far as the researcher is concerned, is a new topic in the sense that the existing bulk of knowledge on English intensifiers has not given importance to the emotional function of intensifiers. Rather, it has embodied a general analysis of the function of such words, particularly their function as maximizers of meaning. Therefore, it needs further investigation if it were to gain a full understanding of their function, "a full conception of how degree modifiers work as well as develop would ultimately require a broad investigation, focusing on certain structural as well as functional perspectives and considerations including processing and sociolinguistic selection" (Buchstaller & Traugott, 2006: 345-70).

Intensifiers as semantically functioning items
English intensifiers are typically adverbs (Méndez-Naya 2008: 213-219). All English adverbs that reflect the degree, or in a sense, the exact level of certain quality are referred to, for the sake of argument, as intensifiers. Adverbs like very, too, rather, highly, at all, absolutely, extremely, really, etc., are good examples of English adverbs that semantically function as intensifiers. Referring to the general rule that defines intensifiers as degree adverbs, one can rightly argue that adjectives can, in many cases, fulfill the same function. That is, there are many English adjectives that semantically function as intensifiers. These include the adjectives utter, sheer, huge…etc. More examples of intensifying adverbs and intensifying adjectives are given in Table (1) below. Semantically, it denotes strengthening or emphasizing the quality or the meaning of the words or expressions which they modify. Cognitive theorists prefer to use the words "intensification as well as intensifiers instead of degree modification or degree modifier…" (Cacchiani: 2017).The process of intensification is generally known in linguistics as "a process that ultimately upwards or downwards a particular force of a specific utterance" (Quirk et 1985: 590;Bolinger 1972:17).
Therefore, the linguistic definition of intensification embodies the concept of enhancement which, in the context of the present research, denotes a sense of putting emotions on scale. In this respect, intensification is mainly used to enhance emotional expressions and show the exact degrees of our emotions.

English Intensifiers and Emotional Enhancement
Apart from being devices of meaning maximization, many English intensifiers function as devices of emotional enhancement. That is, they are used to enhance the expression of human feelings and emotions. The use of words like extremely, severe, very, intensely, really, absolutely, etc., increases, or in a sense, emphasizes and intensifies the emotions we attempt to highlight. Therefore, such ‫ج‬ intensifiers enhance the power of emotional expressions and enable us to communicate the exact degree of our emotions. The above table contains a number of the most frequent intensifying adverbs and intensifying adjectives in English. The adverb very can be used to intensify the feeling of sadness in the sentence 'The man felt very sad'. Moreover, the adverb greatly is used to intensify the feeling of indebtedness in the sentence 'I am greatly indebted to you'. Likewise, the adverbs really, completely, extremely, absolutely, too and highly are used to intensify the adjectives they modify in the following sentences: -She felt really bad. -I feel completely relaxed.
-The boy was extremely nervous. -Joseph felt absolutely incompetent. -My friend was too restless.
-She was highly honored The above sentences embody a number of the most frequent intensifying adverbs in English. They can be scaled as in Figure (1) below. On the other hand,the adjective utter can be used to intensify the feeling of sadness in the sentence 'The man's tears reflect his utter sadness'. Moreover, the word severe is used to intensify the feeling of anxiety in the sentence 'He suffers from severe anxiety'. Likewise, the words intense, awful, deep, great , firm and terrible are used to intensify the adjectives they modify in the following sentences:

Figure (1): Scaling of some intensifying adverbs
-Her feeling of loneliness reflects her intense grief.
-It made him stand with awful guilt.
-It was a nice chance to express his deep love.
-I felt a great joy.
-It shows his firm fondness. -Maria suffers from terrible anguish.
The above sentences embody a number of the most frequent intensifying adjectives in English. They can be scaled as in Figure (2) below. -Note: The intensity of color to the right indicates the intensity of emotion. In English, lexemes that are used to express emotions can be downgraded or upgraded by using certain intensifiers. The following figure gives a nice example of using intensifiers to enhance the emotional expression.

Figure (3): An example of intensification by adverbial subjuncts
scarcely worthy much -Source: Designed by the researcher.
-Source: Designed by the researcher As it is noted in Figure (3) above, the grief lexemes (sadness) can be downgraded or upgraded through the process of intensification. When the adjective sad is preceded by the adverb almost, the feeling of sadness is downgraded. On the other hand, when the adjective sad is preceded by the adverb very, the feeling of sadness is enhanced and intensified.
In order to clarify the intensification process of emotions, the researcher has designed the following scale on the basis of the writings of Quirk et al. (1985).

Amplifiers
Amplifiers are adverbs like very, so, too, really, absolutely, etc. They are frequently used in spoken and written English. The word amplifier is derived from the verb amplify that means 'to make something stronger'. In this respect, amplifiers strengthen the meaning of the word they modify, e.g. 'I felt very sad'. Here, the feeling of sadness is intensified by the adverb very.
It should be noted that amplifiers are the most frequent English intensifiers. The following table, which has been adapted from (Biber et al., 1999: 564-69), supports this argument.

Emphasizers
Emphasizers are adverbs like really, indeed, just, etc. They are frequently used to emphasize certain quality, meaning or emotion. The word emphasizer is derived from the verb emphasize which means to highlight or give importance to English Intensifiers Emphasizers Amplifiers Downtoners ‫ج‬ something. We say, for instance, 'The film was really interesting', 'The car was very cheap indeed' and 'It is just great'.

Downtoners
Downtoners are adverbs like less, slight, quite, etc. They are frequently used to degrade certain quality, meaning or emotion. The word downtoner is derived from the verb downtone which means to degrade the quality of something or the intensity of some emotion. We say, for instance, 'It is less important', 'Her face reflected a sense of slight joy' and 'She was quite happy'.

Practical Procedure
A specimen of 50 third year students at English Department of Al-Mansour University College who are given an exercise containing ten intensifiers to fill in the gaps .Ten sentences are given to be filled ,each with the right intensifier . I have dealt with one exercise taken from a reliable source to show through my linguistic analysis what finally supports my conclusion. The selected sentences are from an exercise, at page 70, in Close, R.A. 1974: A University Grammar of English: Workbook.
The exercise to be done is as follows: Use one of the following intensifiers to fill the gaps below: actually exceedingly fully entirely extremely absolutely deeply violently completely definitely 1-It was really __________ kind of you to help me. 2-I am __________ grateful to you. 3-Did you _________ hear him threaten the girl? 4-I am _________ amazed to hear you say that. 5-We are all _________ moved by his story. 6-The results of the elections is now _________ confirmed. 7-The situation has ________ changed. 8-We are not _________ satisfied with the result. 9-We _________ agree with your proposal. 10-All the guests were ___________ ill that night. The correct response should be as follows: 1-extremely 6-definitely 2-exceedingly 7-completely 3-actually 8-entirely 4-absolutely 9-fully 5-deeply 10-violently

Analysis of the Results
It is quite clear that forty one students have fully succeeded in responding successfully to all the items of the test. Five students have successfully responded to seven sentences out of ten. Four of the specimens have responded to only three sentences of the given test. Accordingly, they have failed. In terms of percentage, the results are as follows: 41/50*100 = 82% 5/50*100 = 10% 4/50*100 = 8% This only means that 82% of the specimen have fully and successfully responded to the items of the test. 10% of the specimen have moderately passed the test.8% of the specimen have failed.

Conclusion
To recapture things, it has been shown that intensifiers are adverbs or adverbial phrases that are used to strengthen the meaning of other expressions and also to show emphasis. Thus, besides words that stand as intensifiers, we also have phrases that operate as intensifiers such as on earth, at all, etc. Through the analysis of the most frequent English intensifiers, it has been obviously noticed that an important aspect of intensification is the enhancement of the emotional expression. Besides, the researcher has observed that English intensifiers help us put our emotions on scales and communicate their exact degrees.
The purpose of this study has been to investigate English intensifiers and their function as devices of emotional enhancement and whether Iraqi students can operate intensifiers successfully. The test provided has practically demonstrated that third-year Iraqi students are not only aware of the syntactic importance of intensifiers but that they can operate them, in a quite satisfactory way.