[Lingtyp] questions about adverbs

[Majigeen Aminata]

Dear all,
I am currently workingon what are called “adverbs” (see words un bold) in wolof literature. Wolof, spoken in Senegal (WestAfrica) has specific words that only work with some colors: white, black, red and eachword-adverb match only with its color, they are not commutable.

weextàll:extremely white (it can't be whiter)

ñuulkukk:extremely black (it can't be more black)

xonqcoyy:extremely red (it can't be more red)

Others words adverbs go with state verbs and are specific to them as well. They are not commutable.


baax lool: extremely nice (it can't be nicer)

bees tàq:really new (nobody has ever used it)

dëgër këcc:extremely hard (it can't be harder)

diis gann:really heavy (very difficult to carry)

fatt taraj:extremely blocked (it can't be more blocked)

fess dell:extremely full (it can't be fuller)

forox toll:really acidic (it can't be more acidic)

gàtt ndugur:really short (he can't be shorter)

jeex tàkk:completely finished, ...


In Wolof they are called intensifiers but this term does not convince me because it can be confusing. They do not intensify the verbs. These words mean that the state or action of the verb is at its end of completude.I would like to knowif there are languages ​​that work like that and what is the terminology usedfor this kind of construction. Can someone also recommend me new documentationon the definition of the concepts of verbs, adverbs, adjectives… in Africanlanguages?

Thanks and regards.

Aminata 

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