In 'Pat sneezed the foam off the cappuccino,' the verb 'sneeze' is usually intransitive. How does Construction Grammar explain the direct object and path phrase?
AThe verb 'sneeze' has a separate transitive lexical entry meaning 'move by sneezing'
BThe caused-motion construction, a form-meaning pairing meaning 'X causes Y to move along path Z,' supplies the extra arguments
CThe sentence is ungrammatical and only appears in jokes
DA transformation inserts a hidden verb 'cause'
Goldberg argued that the caused-motion pattern [Subj V Obj Oblique-path] carries its own meaning. The verb contributes the manner (sneezing), and the construction contributes the caused-motion frame and argument slots. This avoids positing a new sense of 'sneeze' for every such use.
Question 2 Multiple Choice
Which expression is a classic example of a partially schematic construction studied in early Construction Grammar?
AThe cat sat on the mat
BThe more you practice, the better you get
CColorless green ideas sleep furiously
DJohn is easy to please
The comparative correlative 'the X-er, the Y-er' has fixed parts ('the,' comparative forms) and open slots. Its form and meaning cannot be predicted from general English phrase-structure rules, which made it a central example for arguing that such patterns must be stored as constructions.
Question 3 True / False
Construction Grammar maintains a strict separation between a lexicon of words and a separate set of grammatical rules.
TTrue
FFalse
Answer: False
A core claim of Construction Grammar is that words, idioms, and abstract patterns lie on a continuum of constructions differing in size and schematicity. The full inventory is sometimes called the 'constructicon.'
Question 4 Short Answer
How does Construction Grammar fit with usage-based theories of language acquisition?
Think about your answer, then reveal below.
Model answer: Both treat grammar as learned from input. Usage-based researchers such as Michael Tomasello argue that children start with item-specific constructions tied to particular words and gradually generalize them into abstract patterns. Construction Grammar supplies the units, form-meaning pairings at many levels, that such learning would produce.
This pairing contrasts with accounts in which children set parameters of an innate universal grammar. The debate centers on how much abstract structure must be built in versus extracted from experience.