Formal Approaches to Semantic Microvariation: Adverbial ...

(76) a. J’ai peu apprécié ses conseils
I have little appreciated his advice
‘I appreciated his advice a little bit’
b. Son regard m’a peu impressioné
his look me-has little impressed
‘His look impressed me a little bit’
c. Cela a peu accéléré la procédure
that has little accelerated the procedure
‘That sped up the procedure a little bit’
souvent, on the other hand, keeps its ‘many times’ reading with degree verbs.
(77) a. J’ai souvent apprécié ses conseils
I have often appreciated his advice
‘I often appreciated his advice’
b. Son regard m’a souvent impressioné
his look me-has often impressed
‘His look often impressed me’
c. Cela a souvent accéléré la procédure
that has often accelerated the procedure
‘That often sped up the procedure’
Like souvent and unlike beaucoup and peu, rarement and jamais have ‘many times’
readings when paired with degree verbs.
(78) a. J’ai jamais apprécié ses conseils
I have never appreciated his advice
‘I never appreciated his advice’
b. Son regard m’a jamais impressioné
his look me-has never impressed
‘His look never impressed me’
c. Cela a jamais accéléré la procédure
that has never accelerated the procedure
‘That never sped up the procedure’
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