Towards a contrastive usage-based constructionist methodology for a cross-linguistic comparison of constructions

Abstract

This paper presents a programmatic outline of a systematic approach to contrastive linguistic research within Construction Grammar(s) (CxG(s)). We address a number of theoretical and applied problems in Contrastive Construction Grammar, including the following: (1) Defining and empirically and reliably determining constructions across languages, (2) granularity and scope questions with special focus on different levels of abstraction and/or complexity, (3) methodological issues involving reliance on comparable datasets for efficient comparison and contrast, and (4) constructional polysemy and meaning extensions across languages. Drawing on data from different languages we discuss several options for solving the problems raised above. More specifically, we adapt Boas’s (2010) proposal to use semantic frames (modelling the meaning side of constructions) as a tertium comparationis to show how different layers between forms, meanings and/or functions interact with each other across different types of constructions in their respective constructicons ( Fillmore et al ., 2012 ), thus setting up the basis for a roadmap for future studies in Contrastive Construction Grammar.