This study considers the methodological implications of the usage-based model (Langacker 1987) for a description of prototype-structured categorisation (Lakoff 1987). The usage-based model places repeated analogical judgements at the heart of language processing as well as positing that the… read more
This study focuses on the conceptual category of mirativity and its constructional construal in English. We propose an operationalization of mirativity with a view to investigating the phenomenon within the usage-based quantitative methodology of multifactorial analysis (Geeraerts, Grondelaers, &… read more
This study focuses on the conceptual category of mirativity and its constructional construal in English. We propose an operationalization of mirativity with a view to investigating the phenomenon within the usage-based quantitative methodology of multifactorial analysis (Geeraerts, Grondelaers, &… read more
Correspondence analysis is an exploratory technique for complex categorical data, typical of corpus-driven research. It identifies patterns of association and disassociation in those data. For instance, it can map the correlations between different uses of a linguistic form and its various social… read more
This chapter introduces the field of polysemy and synonymy studies from a Cognitive Linguistic perspective. Firstly, the discussion explains and defines the object of research, showing that the study of semantic relations, traditionally restricted to the description of lexical semantics, needs to… read more
Multifactorial usage-feature analysis (profile-based approach) has been successfully
applied to polysemy research (Gries 2006; Glynn 2009, 2010). This chapter
represents a repeat analysis of Gries (2006). The study has three aims: (i) to
verify the results of the previous study; (ii) to identify… read more
The use of corpora in semantic research is a rapidly developing method. However, the range of quantitative techniques employed in the field can make it difficult for the non-specialist to keep abreast with the methodological development. This chapter serves as an introduction to the use of corpus… read more
The R Project for Statistical Computing is one of the most comprehensive and widely used software options for statistical analysis. Moreover, it is open source, freely available and entirely cross-platform. It is for these reasons that the following chapters all employ R to demonstrate the… read more
This usage-based study tests the explanatory power of an iconically motivated theory of lexical class. The principle that basic level grammatical categories are motivated by our direct perceptual experience is an integral part of Cognitive Grammar (Langacker 1987, Talmy 2000). However, recent… read more
This study examines the proposal in Cognitive Grammar (Langacker 1987, Talmy 2000) that grammatical classes are iconically motivated. The discussion follows a case-study to test this hypothesis. Using found data, we examine the productivity of a range of grammatical classes across Dutch, English,… read more
Construction Grammar focuses on the meaning encoded in the syntagmatic structures of language. However, syntagmatic meaning and coding interact in a complex way with paradigmatic structures such as lexis, metonymy, and metaphor. How can Construction Grammar capture the formal and semantic structure… read more