verballysuch

Verballysuch is a neologism used in linguistic discussions to describe a pattern in spoken English where speakers use the determiner such as an intensive, evaluative booster to amplify emotion or stance in casual discourse. The term treats such as a flexible, discourse-level particle rather than a fixed part of a standard grammar, highlighting how speakers deploy it to color meaning in real time. In this sense, verballysuch refers to a broader phenomenon of spoken emphasis that emerges from everyday interaction rather than formal writing.

Etymology and origin

The word is formed from the combination of verbally and such, intended to label the audible phenomenon of using such for emphasis in speech. It originated in online linguistic communities and has since appeared in some contemporary discussions about spoken language, without widespread formal adoption in major grammars. As a label, it aims to describe usage patterns rather than prescribe rules.

Usage and function

Verballysuch typically appears in informal registers and is often used to express strong attitude, evaluative stance, or shared social meaning. It may occur with various nouns or adjectives, producing phrases like such a great movie, such a mess, or such an idea, frequently accompanied by prosodic emphasis. The function is pragmatic: it signals evaluation and aligns listeners with the speaker’s affective orientation. It is distinct from standard intensifiers in formal writing and relies heavily on spoken context and tone.

Examples

That concert was such a ride. This coffee is such a mood. That plan was such a disaster.

Relation to related concepts

Verballysuch intersects with the broader study of intensifiers, discourse markers, and evaluative language in spoken discourse, but it emphasizes a specific, everyday usage pattern rather than a fixed grammatical category. See also: intensifier, discourse marker, evaluative language.