The prefix super- with intensification value: a challenge for current orthography

Abstract

There is a widespread tendency among Spanish speakers to adhere to spelling rules, presumably linked to the maintenance of their own image.
Deviations tend to respond, especially in youth or virtual environments, to a deliberate desire to belong to a group or to ignorance. One of the phenomena with the greatest orthographic difficulties is the use of the prefix super- as intensifier, recently rising. For this reason, this study proposes a pan-Hispanic analysis of the frequencies of the different graphic variants and their distribution in corpora with different degrees of familiarity, while seeking to identify potential causes. Additionally, it examines if certain initial consonants in the base words may influence the selection of these variants.