Qualitative intensifiers e.g. とても, とっても,  超, etc. How are they different?


How are とても/とっても, でかい/でっかい, 超 (and others that I have yet to encounter) used
differently? I figured that for とても/とっても-type difference is that the double-
consonant(geminated) version is stronger i.e. a greater intensity and used
colloquially.

I've also heard "でかい煩い". I presume でかい/でっかい is used with negative
connotations? **EDIT:** (From the anime Aria the Animation, the character
Alice frequently uses でかい as an intensifier in the ungrammatical way as in
"でかい煩い". I now understand it as her 口癖)

How about 超 in "超安い" for "very cheap" (price of object)?

What would be the difference if I swap them around?

Are there other qualitative intensifiers that would be good to know? And what
differences in nuance would there be?




As you notice, the ones with gemination are colloquial versions, and do not
have particular difference in meaning besides being unformal. However, if you
use it together with a long vowel, that will further intensify the expression.
For example, `でーっかい` will be very colloquial and stronger than `でかい` or
`でっかい`.

  * 大変 'very' is used in formal contexts.
  * とても/とっても/ものすごい 'very' is an intensifier in the Tokyo dialect.
  * えらい/めちゃ/めっちゃ/めっさ/むちゃ/むっちゃ/ごっつい/ごっつ 'very' is the corresponding intensifier used in the Kansai dialects.
  * 真剣 'very' is the corresponding intensifier used in Shinshuu dialect.
  * でら 'very' is the corresponding intensifier used in Nagoya dialect.
  * めちゃくちゃ 'very' means the similar, is colloquial, and is not bound to a certain dialect.
  * すごい/すっごい/すんごい 'very' are all colloquial irrespective of the gemination.
  * 比較的 'rather' makes the expression mild.
  * ある程度 'to a certain degree' is also mild.
  * 少しだけ/少し/ちょっとだけ weakens the degree.

* * *

  * 超 'super' can be added to nouns or adjectives. Overusing it will sound colloquial. Especially, extensively using it used to be one characteristics of high-school girl's slangish way of speaking. For example, `超かわいい`, `超むかつく`, `超うける`. An extreme example is `超タモリ`.
  * 極 'ultra' can be added to nouns or adjectives or can be further added to `超`.

* * *

  * でかい/でっかい means 'large'. It is not an intensifier. It has nothing to do with negative connotation.




As you notice, the ones with gemination are colloquial versions, and do not
have particular difference in meaning besides being unformal. However, if you
use it together with a long vowel, that will further intensify the expression.
For example, `でーっかい` will be very colloquial and stronger than `でかい` or
`でっかい`.

  * 大変 'very' is used in formal contexts.
  * とても/とっても/ものすごい 'very' is an intensifier in the Tokyo dialect.
  * えらい/めちゃ/めっちゃ/めっさ/むちゃ/むっちゃ/ごっつい/ごっつ 'very' is the corresponding intensifier used in the Kansai dialects.
  * 真剣 'very' is the corresponding intensifier used in Shinshuu dialect.
  * でら 'very' is the corresponding intensifier used in Nagoya dialect.
  * めちゃくちゃ 'very' means the similar, is colloquial, and is not bound to a certain dialect.
  * すごい/すっごい/すんごい 'very' are all colloquial irrespective of the gemination.
  * 比較的 'rather' makes the expression mild.
  * ある程度 'to a certain degree' is also mild.
  * 少しだけ/少し/ちょっとだけ weakens the degree.

* * *

  * 超 'super' can be added to nouns or adjectives. Overusing it will sound colloquial. Especially, extensively using it used to be one characteristics of high-school girl's slangish way of speaking. For example, `超かわいい`, `超むかつく`, `超うける`. An extreme example is `超タモリ`.
  * 極 'ultra' can be added to nouns or adjectives or can be further added to `超`.

* * *

  * でかい/でっかい means 'large'. It is not an intensifier. It has nothing to do with negative connotation.

