Quantifying binomial constructions from a distinctive perspective

a colostructional analysis

Abstract

This paper investigates quantifying binomial constructions from a usage-based constructionist perspective. For this purpose, it develops, on the data used for the investigation, a distinctive collexeme analysis, a type of measure of association between lexemes and constructions, which compares two or more alternating constructions. In this sense, it is understood that the constructions involved in the analysis present a certain degree of functional equivalence, as they express a large amount, but having subtle differences in terms of meaning, explained by the collocational preferences of each specific construction. The central point of the paper is to reflect on the extent to which a distinctive colostructional analysis can contribute to a deeper understanding of the organization of speaker's linguistic knowledge in the form of a network of interrelated constructions.