Redundancy in Selected Polish [V+AdvINTENS] Phrases in the Context of Absolute and Relative Pleonasticity

This study examines Polish [V+AdvINTENS] structures to assess their compatibility with the classification into absolute and relative pleonasms. By analyzing redundancy within these constructions the research identifies key differences between contextual neutralization of redundancy in [V+AdvINTENS] phrases and [Adj+N] phrases. Unlike noun phrases, verbal structures exhibit a dynamic and scalar character, which complicates the straightforward application of existing pleonasticity tests. Specifically, the study reassesses the but-test proposed by Dorota Szumska for [Adj+N] phrases, highlighting its limitations when applied to verb phrases and proposing refinements to account for the scalar nature of intensity. With reference to intensifiable verbs, degree, unlike more static properties, is not inherently typical; instead, the typicality of specific intensity values must be established to identify relative pleonasticity, which requires more nuanced criteria for testing by but-clauses. Furthermore, the study explores the role of derived intensifiers, emphasizing the unique viewing arrangements and complex modal dimensions they introduce into [V+AdvINTENS] phrases, which often leads to their exclusion from the repertoire of redundant expressions. Overall, the research provides a deeper understanding of redundancy in Polish verbal constructions, offering methodological refinements and theoretical insights that advance the study of pleonastic structures with regard to the notion of isomorphism between the plane of expression and the plane of content.