A constructionist approach short of full phraseology. Expanding phraseological horizons at the lexicon-syntax interface

Abstract

This paper explores the convergence of phraseology and Construction Grammar, arguing that both fields share a common theoretical foundation in their treatment of idiomatic expressions as central components of linguistic knowledge. After reviewing the historical and conceptual connections between the two approaches, the study highlights the explanatory potential of constructionist principles for the analysis of phraseological units that combine idiomaticity with structural regularity, in particular, semi-schematic constructions and constructional idioms. Drawing on a corpus-based analysis (enTenTen21, Sketch Engine) of the constructional idiom [X short of Y]: ‘mental inadequacy, mind insanity’, the study examines issues of lexical variability, slot-filler restrictions, and the notion of cognitive fixedness rather than purely formal fixedness. It also emphasizes the role of constructions as mechanisms that bridge the gap between the wording of a message and its range of possible interpretations. Ultimately, the paper argues that integrating phraseological research within constructionist principles provides a more systematic and cognitively grounded framework for understanding idiomatic language, opening new avenues for research at the interface between lexicon and grammar.