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The adverbs interpreted as "quantitative" include words of degree. These are specific lexical units of semi-
functional nature expressing quality measure, or gradational evaluation of qualities. They may be subdivided
into several very clearly pronounced sets.
The first set is formed by adverbs of high degree. These adverbs are sometimes classed as "intensifiers":
very, quite, entirely, utterly, highly, greatly, perfectly, absolutely, strongly, considerably, pretty, much. The
second set includes adverbs of excessive degree (direct and reverse) also belonging to the broader subclass of
intensifiers: too, awfully, tremendously, dreadfully, terrifically. The third set is made up of adverbs of
unexpected degree: surprisingly, astonishingly, amazingly. The fourth set is formed by adverbs of moderate
degree: fairly, comparatively, relatively, moderately, rather. The fifth set includes adverbs of low degree:
slightly, a little, a bit. The sixth set is constituted by adverbs of approximate degree: almost, nearly. The
seventh set includes adverbs of optimal degree: enough, sufficiently, adequately. The eighth set is formed by
adverbs of inadequate degree: insufficiently, intolerably, unbearably, ridiculously. The ninth set is made up of
adverbs of under-degree: hardly, scarcely.
As we see, the degree adverbs, though usually described under the heading of "quantitative", in reality
constitute a specific variety of qualitative words, or rather some sort of intermediate qualitative-quantitative
words, in so far as they are used as quality evaluators. In this function they are distinctly different from genuine
quantitative adverbs which are directly related to numerals and thereby form sets of words of pronominal order.
Such are numerical-pronominal adverbs like twice, thrice, four times, etc.; twofold, threefold, manifold, etc.
Thus, we will agree that the first general subclass of adverbs is formed by qualitative adverbs which are
subdivided into qualitative adverbs of full notional value and degree adverbs - specific functional words.
Circumstantial adverbs are also divided into notional and functional.
The functional circumstantial adverbs are words of pronominal nature. Besides quantitative (numerical)
adverbs mentioned above, they include adverbs of time, place, manner, cause, consequence. Many of these
words are used as syntactic connectives and question-fonnuig functionals. Here belong such words as now,
here, when, where, so, thus, how, why, etc.
As for circumstantial adverbs of more self-dependent nature, they include two basic sets: first, adverbs of
time; second, adverbs of place: today, tomorrow, already, ever, never, shortly, recently, seldom, early, late;
homeward, eastward, near, far, outside, ashore, etc. The two varieties express a general idea of temporal and
spatial orientation and essentially perform deictic (indicative) functions in the broader sense. Bearing this in
mind, we may unite them under the general heading of "orientative" adverbs, reserving the term "cir-
cumstantial" to syntactic analysis of utterances.
Thus, the whole class of adverbs will be divided, first, into nominal and pronominal, and the nominal
adverbs will be subdivided into qualitative and orientative, the former including genuine qualitative adverbs
and degree adverbs, the latter falling into temporal and local adverbs, with further possible subdivisions of more
detailed specifications.
As is the case with adjectives, this lexemic subcategorization of adverbs should be accompanied by a more
functional and flexible division into evaluative and specificative, connected with the categorial expression of
comparison. Each adverb subject to evaluational grading by degree words expresses the category of
comparison, much in the same way as, mutatis mutandis, adjectives do. Thus, not only qualitative, but also
orientative adverbs, providing they come under the heading of evaluative, are included into the categorial
system of comparison. Cf.: quickly - quicker - quickest - less quickly - least quickly; frequently-more
frequently-most frequently-less frequently - least frequently; ashore - more ashore - most ashore - less ashore-
least ashore, etc.
Barring the question of the uses of articles in comparative-superlative collocations, all the problems
connected with the adjectival degrees of comparison retain their force for the adverbial degrees of
comparison, including the problem of elative superlative.
§ 5. Among the various types of adverbs, those formed from adjectives by means of the suffix -ly occupy
the most representative place and pose a special problem.
The problem is introduced by the very regularity of their derivation, the rule of which can be formulated
quite simply: each evaluative (or, to keep to lexical tradition, qualitative) adjective has a parallel adverb in -ly.
E.g.: silent - silently, slow - slowly, tolerable - tolerably, pious - piously, sufficient - sufficiently, tired - tiredly,
explosive - explosively, etc.
This regularity of formation accompanied by the general qualitative character of semantics gave cause to
A.I. Smirnitsky to advance the view that both sets of words belong to the same part of speech, the qualitative