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Modification of AP
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When an adjectival adverb modifies another adjective, the adjectival adverb is almost always used as an evaluative adjective.

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When an adjectival adverb modifies another adjective, the adjectival adverb is almost always used as an evaluative adjective. Consider the following contrast:

1
Sipho is swaar.
Sipho be.PRS heavy
Sipho is heavy.
2
Swaar bewapende polisie monitor die situasie.
Heavily armed police monitor the situation.

Apparently, the adjective’s meaning consists of two parts, high degree and weight. In its adverbial function, the adjective has lost its literal meaning involving weight, but it has retained its high degree meaning. As an adjective, swaar heavy would be non-subjective, but in its adverbial use it has a similar function as an evaluative adjective, belonging to the same class as deeglik thoroughly and kwaai badly. These all involve a high degree reading. Hence, if the idiomatic restrictions on the collocation allow it, evaluative adverbs can regularly replace one another without significant change of meaning. Thus, alongside swaar bewapende heavily armed, we may also have the following:

3
Die matte is swaar deurweek.
the carpets be.PRS heavily soaked
The carpets are water-logged.
4
swaar beproefde mense
heavily afflicted people
deeply afflicted people

Most evaluative adverbs mark a high degree, but they can also mark a low degree. Consider the minimal pair below:

5
swaar gestrem
heavily handicapped
6
liggies gestrem
lightly handicapped

In the examples above, the adverbs have lost their literal meaning. An adjective or adverb causing a high degree reading is also referred to as an amplifier, and one causing a low degree reading is also referred to as a downtoner or a downtoning intensifier. However, loss of literal meaning is not due to the conversion to adverb, in these cases, since they can also be used as high degree adjectives without being adverbial:

7
'n ligte / swaar gebrek.
a light / heavy handicap

There are, however, also cases where the adverb marks a high degree while retaining its literal meaning. Consider the following examples:

8
Die sop is lekker sout.
the soup be.PRS tasty salt
The soup tastes very salt.
9
Die blom is mooi geel.
the flower be.PRS beautiful yellow
The flower has a beautiful yellow colour.
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