This construction is too hot to handle: A corpus study of an adjectival construction

Kim Ebensgaard Jensen

This construction is too hot to handle: A corpus study of an adjectival construction

Kim Ebensgaard Jensen

Research output: Contribution to book/anthology/report/conference proceeding › Article in proceeding › Research › peer-review

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Abstract

This paper presents a synchronic study of an adjectival construction. More specifically, it discusses the [too ADJ to V]-construction (e.g. Tommy was too full to walk), which expresses a causal relation in which the ADJ-element, drawing on the adjectival property of scalarity, specifies a degree of ADJ-ness that prevents the proposition expressed by the V-element from happening. Drawing on data from the Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA) and descriptive techniques from corpus linguistics, the paper, investigating the role of the ADJ-element and relations it enters into, seeks to provide an overview of the symbolic and usage-based features of the construction. The study suggests that there are subconstructions at play in addition to the central prevention-expressing one. There are even cases, where [too ADJ to V] expresses a relation of enablement rather than prevention between the ADJ- and the V-elements, which suggests another subconstructional division.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings of the 14th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Cognitive Linguistics Association
Editors	Japanese Cognitive Linguistics Association
Publisher	Japanese Cognitive Linguistics Association
Publication date	Sept 2014
Pages	740-748
Publication status	Published - Sept 2014
Event	Annual Meeting of the Japanese Cognitive Linguistics Association - Kyoto University of Foreign Studies, Kyoto, Japan Duration: 21 Sept 2013 → 22 Sept 2013 Conference number: 14

Conference

Conference	Annual Meeting of the Japanese Cognitive Linguistics Association
Number	14
Location	Kyoto University of Foreign Studies
Country/Territory	Japan
City	Kyoto
Period	21/09/2013 → 22/09/2013

Bibliographical note

Also published in CD-format.

Keywords

adjective
adjectival construction
scalar adjectival construction
scalarity
force dynamics
implied force-dynamic relation
construction grammar
construction
collostruction
collexeme
covarying collexeme
distinctive collexeme
corpus linguistics
cognitive linguistics
adjectival semantics
usage-based linguistics
usage-based model
image schemata

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Constructions
Jensen, K. E.
01/12/2010 → …
Project: Research

Cite this

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title = "This construction is too hot to handle: A corpus study of an adjectival construction",

abstract = "This paper presents a synchronic study of an adjectival construction. More specifically, it discusses the [too ADJ to V]-construction (e.g. Tommy was too full to walk), which expresses a causal relation in which the ADJ-element, drawing on the adjectival property of scalarity, specifies a degree of ADJ-ness that prevents the proposition expressed by the V-element from happening. Drawing on data from the Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA) and descriptive techniques from corpus linguistics, the paper, investigating the role of the ADJ-element and relations it enters into, seeks to provide an overview of the symbolic and usage-based features of the construction. The study suggests that there are subconstructions at play in addition to the central prevention-expressing one. There are even cases, where [too ADJ to V] expresses a relation of enablement rather than prevention between the ADJ- and the V-elements, which suggests another subconstructional division. ",

keywords = "adjective, adjectival construction, scalar adjectival construction, scalarity, force dynamics, implied force-dynamic relation, construction grammar, construction, collostruction, collexeme, covarying collexeme, distinctive collexeme, corpus linguistics, cognitive linguistics, adjectival semantics, usage-based linguistics, usage-based model, image schemata",

author = "Jensen, {Kim Ebensgaard}",

note = "Also published in CD-format.; Annual Meeting of the Japanese Cognitive Linguistics Association ; Conference date: 21-09-2013 Through 22-09-2013",

year = "2014",

month = sep,

language = "English",

pages = "740--748",

editor = "{Japanese Cognitive Linguistics Association}",

booktitle = "Proceedings of the 14th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Cognitive Linguistics Association",

publisher = "Japanese Cognitive Linguistics Association",

}

Jensen, KE 2014, This construction is too hot to handle: A corpus study of an adjectival construction. in Japanese Cognitive Linguistics Association (ed.), Proceedings of the 14th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Cognitive Linguistics Association. Japanese Cognitive Linguistics Association, pp. 740-748, Annual Meeting of the Japanese Cognitive Linguistics Association, Kyoto, Japan, 21/09/2013.

This construction is too hot to handle: A corpus study of an adjectival construction. / Jensen, Kim Ebensgaard.
Proceedings of the 14th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Cognitive Linguistics Association. ed. / Japanese Cognitive Linguistics Association. Japanese Cognitive Linguistics Association, 2014. p. 740-748.

Research output: Contribution to book/anthology/report/conference proceeding › Article in proceeding › Research › peer-review

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AB - This paper presents a synchronic study of an adjectival construction. More specifically, it discusses the [too ADJ to V]-construction (e.g. Tommy was too full to walk), which expresses a causal relation in which the ADJ-element, drawing on the adjectival property of scalarity, specifies a degree of ADJ-ness that prevents the proposition expressed by the V-element from happening. Drawing on data from the Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA) and descriptive techniques from corpus linguistics, the paper, investigating the role of the ADJ-element and relations it enters into, seeks to provide an overview of the symbolic and usage-based features of the construction. The study suggests that there are subconstructions at play in addition to the central prevention-expressing one. There are even cases, where [too ADJ to V] expresses a relation of enablement rather than prevention between the ADJ- and the V-elements, which suggests another subconstructional division.

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KW - force dynamics

KW - implied force-dynamic relation

KW - construction grammar

KW - construction

KW - collostruction

KW - collexeme

KW - covarying collexeme

KW - distinctive collexeme

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KW - cognitive linguistics

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KW - usage-based model

KW - image schemata

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Y2 - 21 September 2013 through 22 September 2013

ER -

This construction is too hot to handle: A corpus study of an adjectival construction

Abstract

Conference

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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Constructions

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