“That was real(ly) good”

Abstract

This study explores the variation in the use of real and really as adjective and adverb intensifiers in the American soap opera Days of Our Lives (2001–2012;

; 12.7 million words). Statistically significant constraints include (findings based on approximately 1,000 relevant tokens): (a) character gender, (b) syllable count of the modified adverb (i.e., really quickly vs. real quick ), (c) intensification patterns (e.g., really, really sad vs. sad, real sad ), and (d) predicate vs. attributive use. Furthermore, the collocational range of real(ly) ADV is rather limited, and real as adjective intensifier is declining in favor of really but remains stable as an adverb intensifier. Real and really thus appear to not only pattern differently in the data but to also perform different functions.