Summary
The paper addresses the question of how the notion of fixed expression or idiom has to be defined. Usually idioms are defined as expressions which are characterized by semantic opacity, lack of lexical (paradigmatic) variation and morphosyntactic constraints. However, so-called ‘free’ (i.e. non idiomatic) expressions can be shown to bear similar lexical and morphosyntactic constraints, so that the limit between ‘fixed’ and ‘free’ expressions is much less clear-cut than one would expect. The only real difference which opposes idioms from ‘non-idioms’ is semantic opacity. This theoretical problem is illustrated in the paper by a case study of regional French expressions belonging either to Quebec French, Belgian French, Swiss French or French from France. The latter research is part of a large project (BFQS-project) which aims at the recollection and syntactic description of all French idiomatic expressions used in Europe and/or North-America.
2023. A model for representing the semantics of MWEs: From lexical semantics to the semantic annotation of complex predicates. Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence 6
2016. Multiword Modifiers in some Romance languages. Semantic formats and syntactic templates. Yearbook of Phraseology 7:1 ► pp. 3 ff.
Piunno, Valentina
2020. Partially filled constructions in some Romance languages. Schematicity and semantic predictability. Romanica Olomucensia 32:1 ► pp. 143 ff.
Edmonds, Amanda
2013. Une approche psycholinguistique des phénomènes phraséologiques : le cas des expressions conventionnelles. Langages n° 189:1 ► pp. 121 ff.
Camugli Gallardo, Catherine
2010. Jusqu'où la syntaxe construit-elle le sens ? Réflexions autour d'une comparaison italien-français des locutions verbales figées. Langages n° 179-180:3 ► pp. 243 ff.
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