Formulaic Language in the Magnifying Glass. Setting Parameters on the Analyzability of Linguistic Structure

Adopting the model of Cognitive Grammar as proposed and developed by Ronald Langacker (1987, 1991, 2008), the article applies three basic cognitive parameters on the continuum of linguistic structure: analyzability, compositionality, and institutionalization, to an analysis of proverbs and especially to new proverbial modifications. The aim of the study is twofold: first, by proposing a two-dimensional coordinate system, we seek to establish a correlation between analyzability and compositionality. Second, by adding a third parameter on linguistic structure, namely institutionalization, we develop a three-dimensional system which, we believe, can offer a fuller account of the grammar-lexicon continuum.