scholarly journals Why Construction Grammar Catches the Worm and Corpus Data can Drive you Crazy: Accounting for Idiomatic and Non-Idiomatic Idiomaticity

2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 91-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Herbst
Keyword(s):  
Construction Grammar ◽  
Corpus Data

Data in Construction Grammar

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Th. Gries
Keyword(s):  
Machine Learning ◽  
Experimental Data ◽  
Computational Linguistic ◽  
Statistical Analysis ◽  
Construction Grammar ◽  
Data Types ◽  
Learning Methods ◽  
Machine Learning Methods ◽  
New Directions ◽  
Corpus Data

This chapter examines the types of data used in constructionist approaches and the parameters along which data types can be classified. It discusses different kinds of quantitative observational/corpus data (frequencies, probabilities, association measures) and their statistical analysis. In addition, it provides a survey of a variety of different experimental data (novel word/construction learning, priming, sorting, etc.). Finally, the chapter discusses computational-linguistic/machine-learning methods as well as new directions for the development of new data and methods in Construction Grammar.

Funny you should say that

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 126-159
Author(s):  
Gunther Kaltenböck
Keyword(s):  
Functional Properties ◽  
Construction Grammar ◽  
Matrix Clause ◽  
Functional Profile ◽  
Complex Sentences ◽  
Corpus Data

Abstract This paper investigates the formal and functional properties of so-called semi-insubordination (SIS), i.e. complex sentences with an ‘incomplete’ matrix clause (e.g. Funny that you should say that), on the basis of corpus data. It is shown that SIS differs in its function from the structurally related constructions it-extraposition and exclamatives, exhibiting its own functional profile: viz. expressing a subjectivizing speaker evaluation which is non-exclamative, deictically anchored, and relates to a non-presupposed proposition. Given these functional idiosyncrasies it is argued that SIS is best analysed as a construction in its own right (in terms of Construction Grammar) rather than simply an incomplete elliptical structure.

Mapping meaning with distributional methods

2013 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 272-306 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gard B. Jenset
Keyword(s):  
Statistical Methods ◽  
Construction Grammar ◽  
Statistical Techniques ◽  
Distributional Semantics ◽  
Multivariate Statistical Techniques ◽  
Multivariate Statistical ◽  
Semantic Maps ◽  
Original Meaning ◽  
Corpus Data ◽  
Computational Semantic

The semantics of existential there is discussed in a diachronic, corpus-based perspective. While previous studies of there have been qualitative or relied on interpreting relative frequencies directly, the present study combines multivariate statistical techniques with linguistic theory through distributional semantics. It is argued that existential uses of there in earlier stages of English were not semantically empty, and that the original meaning was primarily deictic rather than locative. This analysis combines key insights from previous studies of existential there with a Construction Grammar perspective, and discusses some methodological concerns regarding statistical methods for creating computational semantic maps from diachronic corpus data.

scholarly journals Three Types of Old English Adjectival Postposition: A Corpus-Based Construction Grammar Approach

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 166-198
Author(s):  
Maciej Grabski
Keyword(s):  
Present Article ◽  
Old English ◽  
Dynamic Network ◽  
Construction Grammar ◽  
Corpus Analysis ◽  
Large Set ◽  
Internal Dynamics ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Corpus Data ◽  
Mutual Relations

The present article looks at different patterns of adjectival postmodification in Old English. A detailed corpus analysis is performed, whose results are interpreted within the framework of Construction Grammar. This study contributes to previous research on the subject by using a large set of corpus data which pave the way for adopting a usage-based approach. The results indicate that the patterns analyzed fulfilled different functions, which in the framework adopted is grounds enough for assigning them to different conceptual categories, i.e., “constructions.” Further, I investigate the mutual relations between these constructions as well as the internal dynamics of their functions and development. The findings support the basic constructionist notion that language is most effectively described as a complex and dynamic network of interrelated constructions.

English what with absolute constructions: a Construction Grammar perspective

2019 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 637-666
Author(s):  
JONG-BOK KIM ◽  
MARK DAVIES
Keyword(s):  
American English ◽  
Construction Grammar ◽  
English Grammar ◽  
Corpus Data

There are several types of absolute constructions (acs) in English. Among these, this article investigates the so-called what-with ac, which has not received much attention in the study of English grammar. This article considers the grammatical properties of the construction from a synchronic as well as a diachronic perspective, using much more representative and robust corpora than previous studies. Based on corpus data drawn from historical corpora such as COHA (Corpus of Historical American English, 400 million words), the article addresses questions about changes in the construction's syntactic, semantic and pragmatic properties. In addition, the article provides a Construction Grammar perspective, which supports previous research in arguing that the construction is undergoing the processes of grammatical constructionalization.

scholarly journals The Chinese Notional Passive Construction under the View of Cognitive Construction Grammar

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 83-110
Author(s):  
Liulin ZHANG
Keyword(s):  
Chinese Language ◽  
Construction Grammar ◽  
Special Situation ◽  
Historical Approach ◽  
Passive Construction ◽  
Change Of State ◽  
State Construction ◽  
History Of ◽  
Corpus Data ◽  
Cognitive Construction Grammar

The notional passive construction (NPC, henceforth) is claimed to be the most common form of passive and the earliest mode of passive expression in Chinese. However, under the view of cognitive construction grammar, NPC remains a mystery with its form not clearly defined and its function not particularly discussed. Taking a character-based historical approach, this paper studies the form designated by NPC, the ‘theme + verbal’ structure in corpus data. Results show that the ‘theme + verbal’ structure is extremely stable in the history of the Chinese language, denoting change of state. In conjunction with some cross-linguistic findings, a change-of-state construction can thereby be proposed for the form ‘theme + verbal’. Accordingly, the idea of the so-called “notional passive construction” is challenged in the way that it essentially refers to a special situation of the change-of-state construction when the event expressed by the verbal is not likely to occur spontaneously- it is not a construction itself, yet plausibly passive.

VIDÍŠ TÝM LEPŠIE, ČÍM BLIŽŠIE SA POZERÁŠ SLOVAK COMPARATIVE CORRELATIVE CC' CONSTRUCTIONS FROM A CONSTRUCTION GRAMMAR PERSPECTIVE

2020 ◽  
Vol 71 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-40
Author(s):  
Jakob Horsch
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Construction Grammar ◽  
Corpus Study ◽  
Cognitive Constraints ◽  
Initial Element ◽  
Parallel Change ◽  
Complex Symmetric ◽  
Corpus Data ◽  
Formal Properties ◽  
Over Time

Abstract The Slovak Comparative Correlative (CC) construction has received little attention, although it is interesting regarding both its semantics and its form: As discussed in Horsch (2019), CCs are characterized by their complex symmetric (parallel change over time) and asymmetric (cause-effect) semantics, which are encoded in a biclausal structure in which each clause consists of a combination of fixed material and obligatory/optional slots. Typically, the first clause (C1) encodes a cause/protasis, and precedes the second clause (C2), which encodes an effect/apodosis: [čím bližšie sa pozeráš,]C1 [tým lepšie vidíš.]C2 ‘the closer you look, the better you see.’ However, there are also structures that retain the same meaning but in which C2 precedes C1 (often referred to as CC’): [Tým lepšie vidíš]C2 [čím bližšie sa pozeráš.]C1. ‘You see the better, the closer you look.’ Additionally, there is a variant in Slovak where the clause precedes the clause-initial element and comparative element: [Vidíš tým lepšie,]C2 [čím bližšie sa pozeráš.]C1. Embedded in a Usage-based Construction Grammar approach, this is the first large-scale corpus study to investigate the C2C1 order in Slovak, and how semantics influences its formal properties. It is argued that both the significantly higher amount of C1C2 order in the corpus data and the significantly higher amount of C2C1 structures in which the clause precedes the comparative element in C2 can be explained with the principle of iconicity (linguistic form is influenced by the semantics of a construction), which makes certain strings easier to process and thus leads to performance preference. From a cross-linguistic perspective, the present investigation provides evidence in support of Goldberg’s Tenet #5 (2003, p. 219), which posits that cross-linguistic generalizations can be accounted for with general cognitive constraints.

Determining the structure of lexical entries and grammatical constructions in Construction Grammar

2008 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 113-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hans C. Boas
Keyword(s):  
Recent Work ◽  
Construction Grammar ◽  
Syntactic Information ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Corpus Data

Research in Construction Grammar assumes no strict separation between syntax and the lexicon. However, recent work by Goldberg (1995, 2006) shows that there is indeed a separation between lexical entries and grammatical constructions, including constraints regulating the fusion of grammatical constructions with verbs. This paper argues that Goldberg’s characterization of the interactions between lexical entries and grammatical constructions faces some of the same difficulties as the interactions between lexical entries and transformational rules in the Chomskyan framework (Chomsky, 1965, 1981, 1995). Drawing on a variety of corpus data this paper presents specific proposals that should be considered in order to arrive at a solution that overcomes difficulties inherent to Goldberg’s approach. Based on a discussion of the concepts of analogy, collocational restrictions, frequency, and productivity this paper proposes to encode different types of semantic, pragmatic, and syntactic information in such a way that it is possible to account for a given utterance from a comprehension perspective, as well as a production perspective.

scholarly journals Trends and Recent Change in the Syntactic Distribution of Degree Modifiers: Implications for a Usage-based Theory of Word Classes

2021 ◽  
pp. 007542422199163
Author(s):  
Turo Vartiainen
Keyword(s):  
Theoretical Perspective ◽  
Recent Change ◽  
Construction Grammar ◽  
Frequency Increase ◽  
Frequency Of Use ◽  
Word Classes ◽  
Corpus Data ◽  
Degree Modifiers ◽  
Traditional Construction ◽  
Empirical Case Studies

This paper examines the syntactic distribution of degree modifiers in both spoken and written English. The results of the empirical case studies show that degree modifiers, both amplifiers (e.g., very, extremely) and downtoners (e.g., quite, pretty), are generally more often used in predication than in attribution, a result that is in line with earlier observations of the distribution of individual modifiers. This synchronic trend is also evident in diachronic developments: corpus data show that the recent frequency increase of intensifying this and that has largely taken place in predication, and the adjectivization of a class of -ed participles (e.g., interested, scared) can also be connected to their frequent co-occurrence with degree modifiers after be. Finally, the connection between degree modifiers and predicative usage has recently become stronger for a subset of modifiers (e.g., so, this, that) due to the decline of the “Big Mess” construction (e.g., so good an idea). From a theoretical perspective, this paper promotes a dynamic, usage-based model of word classes where frequency of use plays a role in categorization. The data investigated in the article are mainly discussed from the perspective of usage-based Construction Grammar, and the theoretical implications of the findings are examined both in light of a more traditional Construction Grammar network model of language and some recent ideas of overlapping word classes.

Theoretical framework

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith Huber
Keyword(s):  
Theoretical Framework ◽  
Construction Grammar ◽  
Motion Verbs ◽  
Motion Event ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Constructionist Approach ◽  
Manner Verbs

Chapter 2 provides an introduction to the motion encoding typology as proposed by Talmy, Slobin, and others (manner- and path-conflating languages, different types of framing and their concomitant characteristics). It argues that this typology is highly compatible with a construction grammar framework, points out the differences, and shows that particularly from the diachronic perspective taken in this study, the constructionist approach has advantages over the originally lexicalist approach of the motion typology. The chapter also provides a discussion of the different categories of motion verbs used in this study (manner verbs, path verbs, neutral motion verbs, and verbs that do not evoke a motion event on their own, but can receive a contextual motion reading).

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