Constructions and Frames

Constructions and Frames is an international peer-reviewed journal that provides a forum for construction-based approaches to language analysis. Constructional models emphasize the role of constructions, as conventional pairings of meaning and form, in stating language-specific and cross-linguistic generalizations and in accounting equally for regular and semi-regular patterns. Frame Semantics, which has become a semantic complement of some constructional approaches, elaborates the analysis of form-meaning relationships by focusing on lexical semantic issues that are relevant to grammatical structure. The preoccupation of constructional theories with meaning allows for natural integration of grammatical inquiry with semantic, pragmatic, and discourse research; often coupled with corpus evidence, this orientation also enriches current perspectives on language acquisition, language change, and language use.

Constructions and Frames publishes articles which range from descriptions of grammatical phenomena in different languages to constructionally-oriented work in cognitive linguistics, grammaticalization theory, typology, conversation analysis and interactional linguistics, poetics, and sociolinguistics. Articles that explore applications to or implications for related fields, such as communication studies, computational linguistics, lexicography, psychology, and anthropology are also invited.

The aim of the journal is to promote innovative research that extends constructional approaches in new directions and along interdisciplinary paths.