Chapter 1 - Grammatical Foundations: Words(169) a so very boring
b quite as fragile
c as extremely frustrating
This would suggest that not all of these words should be categorised as degree adverbs,
that is, as words with [+F, +N, +V] categorial features. Given that normal adverbs can
be used to modify adjectives, some of the cases in (167) can simply be taken as
adverbs, especially those that are formed from adjectives by the -ly morpheme:
(170) a he obviously left obviously tired
b they certainly met certainly irregular
c we wanted it extremely extremely tough
Others however are more difficult to categorise. Words like very do not appear to be
able to be used as typical adverbs, modifying verbs or sentences, but are restricted to
modifying adjectives as are the degree adverbs:
(171) *he flexed his muscles very
Besides distributional properties, degree adverbs also have other properties that
unify them. For example, it is typical for a degree adverb to appear alongside a clausal
element which follows the adjective being modified:
(172) a so fat [that he couldn’t do up the buttons]
b too far [to walk]
c as stupid [as they come]
This clause specifies the bounds to which the degree of the property expressed by the
modified adjective is given. Note that plain adverb modifiers of adjectives do not
appear with such limiting clauses:
(173) a very tired [that he had to rest]
b extremely big [to get through the door]
c *quite famous [as I am]
There is an interpretation in which these kind of constructions are not ungrammatical.
However, this is where the following clauses are associated with the adjectives or even
the whole clause rather than the degree modifiers:
(174) a he was tired, [(so) that he had to rest]
b the sofa was big [to get through the door]
c he is famous, [as I am] (in formal English: as am I)
This is another reason to consider these words to belong to different categories.
Other words which behave as degree adverbs both distributionally and in that they
can be accompanied by a limiting clause are the comparative and superlative adverbs
more and most:
(175) a so fanatical more fanatical so more fanatical
b as wonderful most wonderful as most wonderful
c more predictable [than I am]
d most regrettable [of all]