A typology of evaluative nouns

Abstract

[eng] Evaluative nouns (ENs, idiota ‘idiot’, matasanos ‘quack’) do not only assign a property, but also express a value judgment. A degree analysis (Bolinger 1972; Matushansky 2002; Morzycki 2009) encounters some problems, such as the controversial status of nominal gradability and the relation between gradability and value judgment. By focusing on Spanish data, this study shows that the defining element for ENs is an expressive component of meaning and that these nouns may vary on their gradability and the target of their expressive meaning. Based on this, a typology of ENs is established. In doing so, this paper contrib- utes to the understanding of evaluativity and the connection between gradability and subjectivity in the nominal domain.