CONSTRUCTION GRAMMAR: A NEW TYPE OF SYNTACTIC RELATIONS ANALYSIS

Abstract

Adele Goldberg’s theory is the latest idea among the syntactic theories of language. From the methodological point of view, the process of a theory formation requires putting forth the basic assumptions. In this case, Adele Goldberg’s assumptions separate her idea (Goldberg 1995, 2006) from Ronald Langacker’s cognitivism (Langacker 2006, 2009). The most important principles of Adele Goldberg’s theory are the generative, inductive and comprehensive character of the analysis of all grammatical-syntactic-pragmatic structures; the unpredictability and originality of the structures; case studies; the analysis of the constructional continuum; the pairing of form and meaning; compositionality (merge, integration); etc. The theory includes concepts defined in accordance with the assumptions. The descriptions of grammatical-syntactic-pragmatic structures which result from the theoretical assumptions enable universal inferences: 1) showing connections between the structures within the feature inheritance network (categorization); 2) discovering construction rules (based on the regularity of occurrence) and schemes; 3) describing the specificity of unusual and peripheral constructions; 4) determining the relation between the regular patterns and particular and special cases; 5) explaining the acceptability of structures (Goldberg 1995: 7) when referred to an output concerning mainly the form and specific instructions as regards the semantic roles and cases; etc.