Contents

Acknowledgements

List of Tables

List of Figures

List of Charts

List of Abbreviations

Chapter 1 Introduction

1.1 Rich Memory Models and Cognition in Linguistic Evolution

1.1.1 Rich Memory Storage: The Exemplar Model and the Formation of Categories

1.1.2 The Exemplar Model vs. the Prototype Model

1.1.3 The Exemplar Model and Diachronic Data

1.1.4 Analogical Extension

1.1.5 Chunking, Analyzability, and Compositionality

1.1.6 Grammaticalization

1.2 Usage-Based Analysis

1.2.1 Constructionalist Approaches to Usage-Based Linguistic Analysis

1.2.2 Diachronic Construction Grammar

1.3 The Construction quedar(se) + ADJ

1.4 Productivity and quedar(se) + ADJ

1.5 Research Overview

Chapter 2 ‘Becoming’ in Spanish

2.1 An Overview of ‘Becoming’ in Spanish

2.2 Accounting for Expressions of ‘Becoming’ without Examining Usage

2.3 Testing Criteria for Usage in Change-of-State Expressions

2.4 Categorization of Verb + Adjective Combinations through Speaker Experience

2.4.1 The Similarity Experiment

2.4.2 The Acceptability Experiment

2.5 Lexical Persistence in Verbs of ‘Becoming’

2.6 Conclusion

Chapter 3 Data and Methods

3.1 Data Source: The Quedar(se) + ADJ Database (QAD)

3.2 Data Extraction

3.3 Method of Semantic Analysis and Category Formation

3.3.1 Central Members of Gradient Adjective Categories

3.3.2 The Category Centered on quedar(se) muerto ‘To Be Left Dead’ in the 1600s

3.3.3 Opposites

3.3.4 Prepositional Phrases in quedar(se) + ADJ

3.4 Conclusion

Chapter 4 Overview of quedar(se) + ADJ through Time

4.1 Overview

4.2 Productivity and quedar(se) + ADJ

4.3 Overview of quedar(se) + ADJ Types, Tokens, and Frequency through Time

4.3.1 Conventionalized Instances of Constructions (CICs)

4.3.2 Prefabs

4.3.3 The Rise of quedar and the Demise of fincar

4.3.4 The Endurance of quedar(se) + ADJ and the Emergence of other Expressions of ‘Becoming’

4.3.5 Emergence of quedar(se) + ADJ

4.4 Summary

Chapter 5 The solo ‘Alone’ Clusters: Continual Expansion with a Robust Central Member

5.1 The solo Clusters in the 1200s

5.2 The solo Clusters in the 1300s

5.3 The solo Clusters in the 1400s

5.4 The solo Clusters in the 1500s

5.5 The solo Clusters in the 1600s

5.6 The solo Clusters in the 1700s

5.7 The solo Clusters in the 1800s

5.8 Overview of Clusters Centering on solo

5.8.1 Quedar(se) solo as a Prefab

5.8.2 Quedar(se) solo: Frequency of the Category’s Central Member

5.8.3 Type Frequency and Productivity in the quedar(se) + solo Clusters

5.9 Conclusion

Chapter 6 The rico / pobre ‘Rich / Poor’ Clusters: The Relationship of Opposites in Category Development

6.1 The rico / pobre Clusters in the 1200s

6.2 The rico / pobre Clusters in the 1300s

6.3 The rico / pobre Clusters in the 1400s

6.4 The rico / pobre Clusters in the 1500s

6.5 The rico / pobre Clusters in the 1600s

6.6 The rico / pobre Clusters in the 1700s

6.7 The rico / pobre Clusters in the 1800s

6.8 Overview of the rico / pobre ‘Rich / Poor’ Clusters

6.8.1 Categorical Strength in Opposites: A los pobres como a los ricos ‘To the Poor as to the Rich’

6.8.2 Token Frequency: Waxing and Waning

6.8.3 Type Frequency and Productivity in the quedar(se) rico / pobre Clusters

6.9 Conclusion

Chapter 7 The alegre / satisfecho ‘Happy / Satisfied’ Clusters: Family Resemblance and Changing Central Members

7.1 The alegre / satisfecho Clusters in the 1200s

7.2 The alegre / satisfecho Clusters in the 1300s

7.3 The alegre / satisfecho Clusters in the 1400s

7.4 The alegre / satisfecho Clusters in the 1500s

7.5 The alegre / satisfecho Clusters in the 1600s

7.6 The alegre / satisfecho Clusters in the 1700s

7.7 The alegre / satisfecho Clusters in the 1800s

7.8 Overview of the alegre / satisfecho Clusters

7.8.1 From muerto ‘Dead’ to satisfecho ‘Satisfied’: A Chain of Family Resemblance

7.8.2 Synonyms and Productivity in Constructional Evolution

7.8.3 The Endurance of the alegre / satisfecho Clusters

7.9 Conclusion

Chapter 8 Similarity Experiment

8.1 Data: Τhe Questionnaires

8.2 Participants

8.3 Methods

8.3.1 MDS, а Brief Explanation

8.3.2 MDS: Data and Analysis

8.4 Results: Perceptual Maps of Questionnaires A and B

8.4.1 Perceptual Maps of Questionnaire A

8.4.2 Perceptual Maps of Questionnaire B

8.4.3 Chains of Family Resemblance between Adjective Categories

8.5 Conclusion

Chapter 9 Conclusion

9.1 Overview of quedar(se) + ADJ

9.2 Formulaic Language and Frequency Effects

9.3 Categories over Time

9.4 The Evolution of quedar(se) + ADJ: Grammaticalization, Constructionalization, or Constructional Change?

9.5 Further Considerations

Appendix 1: Adjective Clusters and Tables not Analyzed

Appendix 2: Sources in the QAD

Works Cited

Index