Dalcurian intensifiers

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To make a sentence or statement more powerful or emphatic, Dalcurian uses what it terms tebadærátsiel-intensifiers where in English, we would make use adverbs:

• I really hate the way you speak to me sometimes!
• I thought that film was absolutely hilarious.
• She’s so happy.
• You must never ever say things like that!
• Just what the hell were you thinking?

Although Dalcurian does have many of the typical adverbs that exist in English, they're seldom used in every day speech. There use is reserved mainly for standard and formal speech and letters.

Esti

This intensifier is very common, and can have either a negative or positive connotation depending on context and voice intonation. It cannot be 'literally' translated, but can equate to adverbs such as, really, absolutely, very, so etc. Here are some examples:

• Quriandø, binä qurvecsár diöra! I hate you sometimes!
  • Quriandø, binä qurvecsár diöra esti! I really hate you sometimes!
• Sia qurnöra. She's happy.
  • Sia esti quranöra. She's so/very happy.
• Binä gä'descöbr,, taÞ di mosödrämös gé'tatécran. I thought that the film was fantastic.
  • Binä gä'descöbr,, taÞ di mosödrämös gé'tatécran esti. I thought that the film was absolutely fantastic.

Esti can also give more force to a modal verb:

• Binä iqur spélögria fözbal. I like playing football.
  • Binä iqur esti spélögria fözbal. I really like playing football.
• Ména mösár gör. We have to go. (but it's not a matter of urgency)
  • Ména mösár gör esti! We MUST go!
• Sia voltir taÞ. She wants that one.
  • Sia voltir esti taÞ! She really wants that one!
• Nösa, éren Þöldr eviár. They should be arriving soon.
  • Äda dion stöndæel, éren esti Þöldr gä'ábra-eviár! They SHOULD have arrived 2 hours ago!
• Ména márax stæagöentr dérÞ. We're not allowed to sit here.
  • Eladiö esti márax stæagöentr dérÞ! You're NOT allowed to sit here!

And in a few stock phrases:

• esti nál! certainly not!
• esti yil! YES!
• esti qnáÞradiö! thankyou very much!

The position of esti is down to the speaker. It's often placed at the end of the statement, but equally at home preceeding or following the word it emphasises.

Quavéna

Used to denote distain, anger, disagreement or frustration, or to add a harsher tone to the sentence. Usually goes at the beginning to immediately alert the listener to your mood, or at the beginning of a because/resultant clause to intensify the reason of your action or feeling:

• Mösár? diö maqur taÞ nöra. Do you have to do that now?
  • Quavéna, mösár? diö maqur taÞ nora! For heaven's sake, must you do that now?
• Quintä, tirigör litrangæÞ. Please keep quiet.
  • Quavéna, tirigör diöra litrangæÞ! WILL YOU BE QUIET!

It can also translate the English use of the expletive bloody/bloody hell. Here it would normally precede the verb, adjective or noun:

• Gegéna, danöÞ quavéna danpöria! It's bloody raining again!
• Mæ ni quavéna agrödámn! He's a bloody idiot!
• Várö? sia södisir quavéna dostibrostn! Why is she so bloody stupid?
• Binä gä'ábrapädr di slasojel. Quavéna! I've lost the keys. Oh bloody hell!

This article is one of many about the Dalcurian language. Sub categories: Dalcurian language and basic history: Halcánian dialect Dalcurian alphabet and pronunciation Adjectives: Comparison of adjectives * Comparative sentences * Adjective endings * Adjective tense * Attributive and Predicative adjectives * Post positive adjectives * Inherent and non-inherent adjectives * Nominal adjectives * Resultant adjectives * Adjectives with prepositions * Adjective Hierarchy * Adjective Negation Adverbs Verbs: The verb to do * Modal Verbs * Verb Moods Prepositions: Preposition word order * Alternative uses of prepositions Negatives Nouns Case Pronouns Punctuation Time Numbers Miscellaneous word and phrase lists: Colours * Days/months/seasons * Describing people * Names of Countries * Hello/goodbye Please/thankyou * Intensifiers * English Dalcurian Dictionary Links: Omniglot * Various webpages in Dalcurian