Λεξιλογικές συνάψεις (lexical collocations) στη νέα ελληνική ως ξένη γλώσσα

Abstract

In this PhD we deal with lexical collocations in Modern Greek. Collocation is a widely used term mostly in the field of applied linguistics, lexicography, computational linguistics and language acquisition studies. Starting point for our research was the native and non-native speaker lexical production. Through our research it was found that while the advanced learner has acquired linguistic competence in Modern Greek, his phraseological/collocational competence in the language, competence in producing typical word sequences, is not in the same way developed. The native speaker has not acquired the phraseology of the language. Acquisition and production of collocations was not our only interest. In this PhD we focus, following a linguistic perspective, on verbal collocations, verb + noun (object) collocations such as δino prosoxi (pay attention), δino eksetasis (take an exam), perno mja apofasi (make a decision), etc. Phraseology (idioms, collocations, prefabricated patterns, similes, etc.) holds a wide spectrum from less to more stereotyped word combinations. A distinction between lexical collocations and idioms in the verb + noun structure is more than necessary and fundamental rixno mia matja (collocation) rixno δilitirio (idiom) Lexical collocations are semi-phrasemes, with restricted collocability due to, according to Cowie (1992), the specialized (figurative, technical) sense of one of their constituent, the verb. We argued that restricted collocability results from the bleached sense of the verb whereas the noun of the collocation carries its literal sense. We claimed that literal sense of the noun is the basic criterion for distinguishing collocations from idioms. Both of the constituents forming an idiom carry figurative sense or the combination as a whole is totally opaque in meaning. Lexical collocations permit lexical substitutability whereas idioms are absolutely frozen. Lexical decomposition of collocations has shown that the verb is a ditransitive verb requiring two internal arguments, a theme (y) on one side and a goal or source or location (z) on the other. Verb action is a transition, the event is divided into two subevents with a final point of change, referring to the physical world. The noun on the other side is an abstract entity. The ditransitive verbs of Modern Greek analyzed are the following δino, perno, vazo, vγazo, rixno, travao, pjano, arpazo, afino, δixno, ferno Lexical decomposition was based on argument structure-thematic roles and lexical conceptual structure of the predicates developed. Lexical decomposition of a wide range of lexical collocations brought to light a process concerning full, prototypical verb on one side and lexical collocations on the other side: verb of lexical collocations is, gradually, semantically bleached. Semantic bleaching of the verb is meant to be: a) loss of the control of the predicate arguments loss/abolishment of the verb’s arguments and new argument development in their place.