Sunday, May 28, 2017

word usage - What does "period" mean in this conversation?


What does the word period mean in the following context? It does not seem to be a part of the sentence.




— Could you please {do something}?
— I don't want to do that, period.




Answer



That is an intensifier:



Grammar. a word, especially an adverb, or other linguistic element that indicates, and usually increases, the degree of emphasis or force to be given to the element it modifies, as very or somewhat; intensive adverb.



In the example, it is equivalent to "at all".



I'd say that a more likely occurrence would be when some form of qualifier was originally specified:



"You don't want to go to football practice today?"


"I don't want to go to football practice, period."



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