Nulla sum, nulla sum: tota, tota occidi. Repetition as a (rare) strategy of intensification in Latin

Repetition of a linguistic form is a widespread strategy in the world’s languages to express a number of related functions, such as pluralization, distribution, collectivity and, crucially, intensification. This last function is the core meaning expressed by word repetition in Latin, a language where this copying process does not constitute a morphological rule, but rather an occasional mean to express intensification among the typical grammaticalized strategies (prefixes, the superlative suffix ‑issimus, and adverbs). This paper firstly provides a survey of forms and functions of repetition in Latin and suggests a distinction between degree and illocutionary intensification depending on their specific meaning, their scope, and the status of the source involved. Secondly, it contains a corpus-based study of word repetition based on the Plautine comedies, providing evidence about its uses and productivity effects across different lexical categories. The paper closes with a reassessment of the status of repetition as a pragmatic strategy of intensification in Latin, with a focus on Plautus, also offering some diachronic remarks.