púpọ̀ / gan-an
Strengthening a Meaning
Degree expressions follow suitable properties or predicate-and-object sequences.
How It Works
Púpọ̀ can express much, a lot or very. Following a suitable property predicate, it expresses strong degree. Gan-an also intensifies suitable predicates and can follow an object in expressions of strong liking. These words take no person or number endings.
Identify their scope. Hot soup concerns temperature, while reading a lot concerns an activity's extent. By contrast, ìwé púpọ̀ can mean many books. Using kàwé in the activity example avoids an overt noun phrase whose quantity reading could obscure the intended meaning.
Contrast ga gan-an, very tall, with ga ju Bísí lọ, taller than Bísí. Intensity supplies no named comparison standard. Learn degree words with appropriate predicates. Learn gan-an as a degree word. Its spelling does not create a rule for copying any other adverb.
Examples (3)
- Ọbẹ̀ náà gbóná púpọ̀.
The soup is very hot.
Púpọ̀ intensifies temperature.
- Mo fẹ́ràn orin yìí gan-an.
I like this song very much.
Gan-an follows the object of the liking predicate.
- Ó kàwé púpọ̀ lánàá.
They read a lot yesterday.
They is singular here, rendering gender-unspecified ó.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Púpọ̀ and gan-an strengthen suitable properties or activities.
Related Patterns
Practice púpọ̀ / gan-an in Bubblegum
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