Formulaic Language and the Lexicon [Paperback]

Explores the nature of formulaic language.A considerable proportion of our everyday language is formulaic . It is predictable in form and, idiomatic-- stored in fixed or semi-fixed chunks. This book explores the nature and purposes of formulaic language, and looks for patterns across the research findings from the fields of discourse analysis, first language acquisition, language pathology and applied linguistics. It gradually builds up a unified description and explanation of formulaic language as a linguistic solution to a larger, non-linguistic, problem, the promotion of self.A considerable proportion of our everyday language is formulaic . It is predictable in form and, idiomatic-- stored in fixed or semi-fixed chunks. This book explores the nature and purposes of formulaic language, and looks for patterns across the research findings from the fields of discourse analysis, first language acquisition, language pathology and applied linguistics. It gradually builds up a unified description and explanation of formulaic language as a linguistic solution to a larger, non-linguistic, problem, the promotion of self.A considerable proportion of our everyday language is formulaic . It is predictable in form and idiomatic--apparently stored in fixed or semi-fixed chunks. This book explores the nature and purposes of formulaic language, and looks for patterns across the research findings from the fields of discourse analysis, first language acquisition, language pathology and applied linguistics. It gradually builds up a unified description and explanation of formulaic language as a linguistic solution to a larger, non-linguistic, problem, the promotion of self.Part I. What Formulaic Sequences Are: 1. The whole and the parts; 2. Detecting formulaicity; 3. Pinning down formulaicity; Part II. A Reference Point: 4. Patterns of formulaicity in normal adult language; 5. The function of formulaic sequences: a model; Part III. Formulaic Sequences in First Language Acquisition:lı