The Origin of Dual-form Adverbs: Grammaticalization or Lexicalization?

Abstract

[Abstract] The formation of dual-form adverbs, items derived from an elementary adjective which present a suffixless and a suffixed adverbial variant, e.g. short/shortly, is a complex process in which up to three different strategies can be involved, namely conversion, derivation, and historical evolution. Some authors, such as Brinton (2002), Hagège (1993), or Quirk et al. (1985: 1525-1530), among others, have kept these processes within the bounds of lexicalization. However, taking into account the evidence provided by the analysis of the dual-form adverb great/ greatly, this paper tries to demonstrate that the same strategies can result in either lexicalization or grammaticalization.