On the issue of intensification and the choice of intensifier

Abstract

One of the main issues, which relates to the study of the category of intensity and draws much attention of linguists is the exact description of its position among other semantic categories, the definition of its boundaries, interconnection and interaction. The subject of this work is the semantic category of intensity, which is inherent, at least indirectly, in principle in any linguistic situation, and which can be embodied in the language in a variety of ways. The most interesting is the level of phraseology, because stable comparative phrases capture traditional national images and representations preserved from the earliest times, and allow demonstrating the specificity and relevance of the symbols of individual nations. The purpose of this study is, firstly, to analyse the essence and limits of the semantic category of intensity, its position and relationship with other linguistic categories; and secondly, to review of the means of expressing this category on the appropriate language levels; and, thirdly, on the background of the linguistic corps, to compare Russian and English stable comparative phrases.