Beyond measures: distance and volume in intensifying constructions in Brazilian Portuguese

Resumo

This article consists of an investigation into the use of non-traditional intensifying constructions in Brazilian Portuguese, formed by plural names of units of measurement, such as “correr quilômetros” and “chover litros”. The aim is to map, analyze and categorize these V + Xintensifier constructions in digital contexts, understanding their morphosyntactic and discursive functioning. The research falls within the field of Functional-Cognitive linguistics, with an emphasis on the sociolinguistic approach, and the Usage-Based Construction Grammar, which considers linguistic constructions as associations between form and meaning, shaped by the concrete experience of language. From this perspective, we intend to make a valuable contribution to studies in the field by describing innovative forms of intensification and expanding discussions on variation in a constructionist context. The specific goals include verifying the conditioning factors involved in this phenomenon and the possibility of alternation between different intensifying forms.