Cognate adverb construction in Moksha Mordvin

This study deals with the semantics of the cognate adverb construction (CAC) in Moksha Mordvin. This construction is formed by a conjugated verb form and a deverbal adverb derived from the same root. I show that meanings of the Moksha CAC fall into two categories: intensification and so called ‘accuracy of description’. Some typologically close phenomena are demonstrated. To conclude, a hypothesis is suggested that the CAC has a single ‘underlying’ meaning that can be described through use of the prototype notion.