Diu, time quantifier of homogeneous domain

Abstract

We will analyze the main semantic properties of diu. As a temporal adverb, its peculiarities are to be seen in relation both to tense and to verbal aspect. They share however also some features with those adjectives which cover quantitative evaluations regarding dimensions: on one interpretation dimensional adjectives only identify a certain dimension on a scale, on the other interpretation they pinpoint an extreme value on this scale.The meaning of diu is considered also in comparison with the adverb longe/longum.Contrary to Anscombre (1990), according to whom the semantic distinction between«longtemps» and «longuement» in French does not have analogues in other languages, we propose that the semantic properties of diu assimilate it to «longtemps», while those of longe resemble «longuement».