A usage-based analysis of alternating syntactic constructions: the case of spray/load constructions and clear constructions

Abstract

The present paper deals with the polysemous nature of spray/load constructions and clear constructions. The verbs used in these constructions appear in an alternating syntactic pattern: the THM-object variant (e.g. He sprayed paint onto the wall) and the LOC-object variant (e.g. He sprayed the wall with paint). This paper aims to demonstrate that these syntactic alternations are functionally motivated or influenced by topics mentioned in the previous discourse context. --- Original in English.

Keywords

• argument structure constructions
• spray/load constructions
• clear constructions
• syntactic alternation
• information structure
• usage-based model
• functional motivation