An exemplar-based approach to composite predicates in the history of American English

This study examines composite predicates (CPs) in the history of American English and uses an exemplar-based model to explain changes frequency verb–noun pairings over time. Two different types verb-nominal CPs are considered, including those like take a look , which light verb occurs with abstract nominal object, others lose sight more lexically specific verb. Using corpus texts written between 1820 2009, I track analyze several families semantically related nouns that occur same (e.g. peak etc.). Representative analyzed determine presence highly frequent pairings, or exemplars, separate themselves The success exemplars is evaluated according factors may shape patterns use, relative size noun families, band tokens each family distribution across within family. Results indicate two differ respect evolution exemplary bands play role while their distributional do not.