When evaluation is not deviation: a closer look at prototypicality as an evaluative function

Although evaluative morphology is normally conceptualized as deviation from a central case, languages sometimes express the opposite function, namely centrality or prototypicality with respect to the category core. This paper discusses the role of this function within the paradigm of evaluative morphology to gain a better grasp of its nature and linguistic expression. Two relevant Italian constructions are analyzed through a corpus investigation based on CORIS: NN reduplication (e.g., caffè-caffè ‘coffee-coffee’) and N-tipo (e.g., giornata tipo lit. day type ‘typical day’). The analysis reveals that the two constructions share some properties but also display distributional and semantic specificities: whereas NN reduplication conveys values like prototypicality, authenticity, exclusivity and spatial accuracy, N-tipo expresses a value of canonicity (or stereotypicality). The paper claims that these specific values are better pictured as different yet related realizations of a complex functional domain of ‘non-deviation’. Although the anatomy of this domain still needs to be fully unveiled and mapped, its recognition suggests to reshape the current model of evaluative functions.