Contribution to the study of contemporary uses of “super”: linguistic variation in some Romance languages

Abstract

Linguistic change reveals the dynamic nature of contemporary Romance languages. This is evident in Portuguese with the linguistic element super. Currently undergoing observable changes in contemporary usage, super presents an interesting subject for linguistic inquiry. Of Latin origin, it is traditionally classified as a prefix at the morphological level. However, in actual usage, it has been observed transitioning into other grammatical roles. Originally a prefix, super has developed into an autonomous element, functioning as an adverb or adjective, and even as a noun – often as a shortened or reduced variant. Beginning with this phenomenon in Portuguese, it is relevant to examine other Romance languages – specifically Spanish (Castilian), French, and Italian – to determine whether similar developments are occurring in their contemporary linguistic usage.