殊更

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 殊更(ことさら) describes doing something deliberately or with particular emphasis.
• Basic usage: It describes deliberately emphasizing one's achievements in front of others.
  • 彼は皆の前で殊更に自分の功績を強調した。

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Making something stand out
  • 特に(とくに) may neutrally single out one item among several. 殊更 readily suggests deliberately making something conspicuous or treating it as a bigger matter.
• With or without に
  • The word occurs both with and without に, as in 殊更に強調する and 殊更問題にする.