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    3.2 High degree specification by functional so ‘so’
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    The functional word so ‘so’ is the canonical functional item used for specifying the nature of the high degree. If it is not associated with a following phrase specifying its degree, then its degree is inferred from the context, just like the interpretation of any pronoun is inferred from the context. Thus, in the following sentence, the word so ‘so’ functions as a pronoun of degree:

    1
    Die is so loai wezen!
    that is so lazy been
    He has been so lazy!

    It answers to a question with wo ‘how’:

    2
    Wo loai? So loai!
    how lazy so lazy
    How lazy? So lazy!

    In addition, it can also be used to express a high degree interpretation rethorically by using a metaphor as its degree limit.

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    The construction built on so ‘so ‘ + AP relates a certain high degree of a property of an argument to a proposition that will become true if that certain degree is reached. The function word can thus be accompanied by a phrase or a clause further specifying the high degree. If there is no accompanying phrase or clause specifying the high degree, then it is either contextually determined or it is standardly associated with a high degree interpretation, depending on the lexical items involved.

    The following examples illustrate that the function word so ‘so’ may license extra arguments in the form of phrases and clauses making the degree limit explicit:

    3
    Dät Swäl waas so groot, die Dokter kuud deer nit mäd kloor kume.
    the swelling was so big the doctor could it not with ready come
    The swelling was so big, the doctor could not finish it off.
    4
    Dät Bäiden is so meger, deer sit boalde neen Lieuw of Sele oane.
    the child is so skinny it sits almost no belly of soul in
    The child is so skinny, it scarcely has room for a belly or a soul.

    The clause specifying the degree is not syntactically linked to the functional item by means of a complementiser. It doesn’t seem to be syntactically connected, but only paratactically. High degree so is closely related to equative so, which is used for stating that two elements have the same degree, see 4.3. Equative.

    The negation of a high degree construction yields a low or medium degree interpretation. An example has been given below:

    5
    Die Düwel is nit so swoot, as hie anmoald wädt.
    the devil is not so black as he painted is
    The devil is not as black as he is painted.

    The combination nit so ‘not as’ is roughly synonymous to the minorative function word minner ‘less’: see 4.1. Comparative.

    The construction built on so ‘so ‘ + AP relates a certain high degree of a property of an argument to a proposition that will become true if that certain degree is reached. In the following example, a metaphor specifies that the degree is high, and the lexical content of the metaphor seems irrelevant:

    6
    So tjuk as ‘n Tieke.
    so thick as a flea
    As thick as a flea.

    The phrase introduced by as ‘as’ may be interpreted literally here, though it may also be an exaggeration or sheer. In the following example, the phrase of comparison may be interpreted figuratively or metaphorically:

    7
    So äärm as ‘n Luus.
    so poor as a louse
    Very poor indeed.
    References
      About this article
      Author(s): Eric Hoekstra, Bouke Slofstra
      Category: Saterfrisian Syntax
      Version: 1.0, December 2023
      Version history:
      version editor(s) date remarks
      1.0 Eric Hoekstra, Bouke Slofstra December 2023
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