Rapid change among expletive polarity items
Jack Hoeksema · Amsterdam studies in the theory and history of linguistic science. Series 4, Current issues in linguistic theory · 2001
Modern Dutch, like many other languages, has a large number of indefinite negative polarity items intended to strengthen negation by making the statement more emphatic. Among these, there is a large group referred to in the literature (e.g. Bolinger 1972, Horn 1989) as “minimizers” denoting scalar endpoints. This group includes superlatives meaning “the slightest” or “the least”, compare English Fred did not have the faintest idea or The inspector did not have the slightest inkling but also expressions denoting minimal units of measurement, cf. English Fred did not doubt it for a moment or The police gave instructions not to pay a dime to the kidnappers. Included in this group are various idioms denoting things considered small or negligible on some scale: