1887
  1. Home
  2. e-Journals
  3. Review of Cognitive Linguistics. Published under the auspices of the Spanish Cognitive Linguistics Association
  4. Online First Articles
  5. Online First Article
image of Filler-slot relations in language contact
USD
Buy:$35.00 + Taxes

Abstract

Abstract

The present study investigates the influence of Mexican Spanish similative (e.g., he swims like a fish) and pretence constructions (e.g., he swims as if he were a fish) on those found in four Mesoamerican languages: Huasteca Nahuatl, Papantla Totonac, San Gabriel Huastec, and Uxpanapa Chinantec. Using predictive modeling, we demonstrate that these indigenous languages have not only borrowed the markers ‘like’ and ‘as if’ from Mexican Spanish, but have also adopted the lexical preferences (e.g., verb lemmas) associated with these constructions. However, we also identify a number of syntactic differences in how locative and non-locative NPs are treated within similative and pretence constructions in these languages. These findings suggest that, in language contact scenarios, constructions are rarely replicated intact from one language to another. Furthermore, our analysis reveals that while the similative and pretence markers themselves are outcomes of matter replication, the verb lemmas in these constructions result from pattern replication.

© John Benjamins Publishing Company
Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1075/rcl.00250.olg
2026-01-20
2026-02-14

  • From This Site

    /content/journals/10.1075/rcl.00250.olg
    dcterms_title,dcterms_subject,pub_keyword
    -contentType:Journal -contentType:Contributor -contentType:Concept -contentType:Institution
    10
    5
Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. Béchet, Christophe
    (2020) An empirical perspective on the contact between English and French: A case study on substitutive complex prepositions. Linguistics Vanguard, . 10.1515/lingvan‑2018‑0051
     https://doi.org/10.1515/lingvan-2018-0051 [Google Scholar]
  2. Beckner, Clay, Blythe, Richard, Bybee, Johan, Christiansen, Morten. H., Croft, William, Ellis, Nick C., Holland, John, Ke, Jinyun, Larsen-Freeman, Diane, & Schoenemann, Tom
    (2009) Language is a complex adaptive system: Position paper. Language Learning, , –. 10.1111/j.1467‑9922.2009.00533.x
     https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9922.2009.00533.x [Google Scholar]
  3. Bernaisch, Tobias J., Gries, Stefan Th., & Mukherjee, Joybrato
    (2014) The dative alternation in South Asian English(es): Modelling predictors and predicting prototypes. English World-Wide, , –. 10.1075/eww.35.1.02ber
     https://doi.org/10.1075/eww.35.1.02ber [Google Scholar]
  4. Boas, Hans. C., & Höder, Steffen
    (Eds.) (2018) Constructions in contact: Constructional perspectives on contact phenomena in Germanic languages. John Benjamins. 10.1075/cal.24
     https://doi.org/10.1075/cal.24 [Google Scholar]
  5. Bullock, Barbara E., Serigos Jacqueline, & Toribio, Almeida J.
    (2021) Exploring a loan translation and its consequences in an oral bilingual corpus. Journal of Language Contact, , –. 10.1163/19552629‑bja10027
     https://doi.org/10.1163/19552629-bja10027 [Google Scholar]
  6. Clyne, Michael
    (2003) Dynamics of language contact. English and immigrant languages. Cambridge University Press. 10.1017/CBO9780511606526
     https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511606526 [Google Scholar]
  7. Croft, William
    (2001) Radical construction grammar. Syntactic theory in typological perspective. Oxford University Press. 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198299554.001.0001
     https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198299554.001.0001 [Google Scholar]
  8. Croft, William, & Cruse, Alan
    (2004) Cognitive linguistics. Cambridge University Press. 10.1017/CBO9780511803864
     https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511803864 [Google Scholar]
  9. Darmon, Chloé
    (2017) The morpheme (a)ŋa in Xamtanga: Functions and grammaticalization targets. InTreis, Yvonne & Martine Vanhove (Eds.), Similative and equative constructions: A cross-linguistic perspective (pp.–). John Benjamins. 10.1075/tsl.117.15dar
     https://doi.org/10.1075/tsl.117.15dar [Google Scholar]
  10. Dexter-Sobkowiak, Elwira
    (2022) Language contact in the Huasteca: The impact of Spanish on Nahuatl and Tének. [Doctoral dissertation, University of Warsaw].
  11. Diessel, Holger
    (2019) The grammar network. How linguistic structure is shaped by language use. Cambridge University Press. 10.1017/9781108671040
     https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108671040 [Google Scholar]
  12. (2020) A dynamic network approach to the study of syntax. Frontiers in Psychology, , Article 604853. 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.604853
     https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.604853 [Google Scholar]
  13. Espinal, Maria Teresa
    (1992) Expletive negation and logical absorption. The Linguistic Review, , –. 10.1515/tlir.1992.9.4.333
     https://doi.org/10.1515/tlir.1992.9.4.333 [Google Scholar]
  14. Kay, Paul, & Fillmore, Charles P.
    (1999) Grammatical constructions and linguistic generalization: The what’s X doing Y? construction. Language, , –. 10.2307/417472
     https://doi.org/10.2307/417472 [Google Scholar]
  15. Goldberg, Adele E.
    (1995) Constructions: A Construction Grammar approach to argument structure. University of Chicago Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  16. Greenwell, Brandon M.
    (2017) pdp: An R package for constructing partial dependence plots. The R Journal, , –. 10.32614/RJ‑2017‑016
     https://doi.org/10.32614/RJ-2017-016 [Google Scholar]
  17. Gries, Stefan Th.
    (2003a) Multifactorial analysis in corpus linguistics: a study of Particle Placement. London: Continuum Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  18. Gries, Stefan Th
    (2003b) Towards a corpus-based identification of prototypical instances of constructions. Annual Review of Cognitive Linguistics, , –. 10.1075/arcl.1.02gri
     https://doi.org/10.1075/arcl.1.02gri [Google Scholar]
  19. (2021) Statistics for linguistics with R. 3rd rev. De Gruyter Mouton. 10.1515/9783110718256
     https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110718256 [Google Scholar]
  20. Gries, Stefan Th., & Stefanowitsch, Anatol
    (2004) Extending collostructional analysis: A corpus-based perspectives on ‘alternations’. International Journal of Corpus Linguistics, , –. 10.1075/ijcl.9.1.06gri
     https://doi.org/10.1075/ijcl.9.1.06gri [Google Scholar]
  21. Gries, Stefan Th., & Hilpert, Martin
    (2008) The identification of stages in diachronic data: Variability-based neighbor clustering. Corpora, , –. 10.3366/E1749503208000075
     https://doi.org/10.3366/E1749503208000075 [Google Scholar]
  22. Heine, Bernd, & Kuteva, Tania
    (2005) Language contact and grammatical change. Cambridge University Press. 10.1017/CBO9780511614132
     https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511614132 [Google Scholar]
  23. Harris, Zellig S.
    (1970) Papers in structural and transformational linguistics. Reidel. 10.1007/978‑94‑017‑6059‑1
     https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-6059-1 [Google Scholar]
  24. Hernandez-Mena, Carlos
    (2019) TEDx Spanish Corpus. Audio and transcripts in Spanish taken from the TEDx Talks. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico.
     [Google Scholar]
  25. Hilpert, Martin
    (2006) Distinctive collexeme analysis and diachrony. Corpus Linguistics and Linguistic Theory, , –. 10.1515/CLLT.2006.012
     https://doi.org/10.1515/CLLT.2006.012 [Google Scholar]
  26. (2008) Germanic future constructions: A usage-based approach to language change. John Benjamins. 10.1075/cal.7
     https://doi.org/10.1075/cal.7 [Google Scholar]
  27. (2013) Constructional change in English: Developments in allomorphy, word-formation, and syntax. Cambridge University Press. 10.1017/CBO9781139004206
     https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139004206 [Google Scholar]
  28. Hothorn, Torsten, & Zeileis, Achim
    (2015) partykit: A modular toolkit for recursive partytioning in R. Journal of Machine Learning Research, , –.
     [Google Scholar]
  29. Ibarretxe-Antuñano, Iraide
    (1999) Vision metaphors for the intellect: Are they really cross-linguistic?Atlantis, , –.
     [Google Scholar]
  30. Jiménez Juliá, Tomas
    (2003) Como en español actual. Verba, , –.
     [Google Scholar]
  31. Johanson, Lars
    (2008) Remodeling grammar: Copying, conventionalization, grammaticalization. InSiemund, Peter & Noemi Kintana (Eds.), Hamburg Studies on Multilingualism (pp.–). John Benjamins.10.1075/hsm.7.05joh
     https://doi.org/10.1075/hsm.7.05joh [Google Scholar]
  32. Kusters, Wouter
    (2008) Complexity in linguistic theory, language learning, and language change. InMiestamo, Matti, Kaius Sinnemäki & Fred Karlsson (Eds.), Language complexity: Typology, contact, and change (pp.–). John Benjamins. 10.1075/slcs.94.03kus
     https://doi.org/10.1075/slcs.94.03kus [Google Scholar]
  33. Lakoff, George, & Johnson, Mark
    (1980) Metaphors we live by. The University of Chicago Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  34. Lara, Luis F., Medina Urrea, Alfonso, Rosales Martínez, Alejandro, Diez Sánchez, Carlos, F., & Serralde Galicia, Juan L.
    (2018) El Corpus del español mexicano contemporáneo. https://cemcii.colmex.mx/
     [Google Scholar]
  35. Matras, Yaron
    (2009) Language contact. Cambridge University Press. 10.1017/CBO9780511809873
     https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511809873 [Google Scholar]
  36. Mithun, Marianne
    (1992) External triggers and internal guidance in syntactic development: Coordinating conjunction. InGerritsen, Marinel & Dieter Stein (Eds.), Internal and external factors in syntactic change. Trends in linguistics (pp.–). Mouton De Gruyter. 10.1515/9783110886047.89
     https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110886047.89 [Google Scholar]
  37. (2025) Constructions and language contact. InFried, Mirjam & Kiki Nikiforidou (Eds.), The Cambridge handbook of Construction Grammar (pp.–). Cambridge University Press. 10.1017/9781009049139.019
     https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009049139.019 [Google Scholar]
  38. Olguín Martínez, Jesus
    (2021) Hypothetical manner constructions in world-wide perspective. Journal of Linguistic typology at the crossroads, , –.
     [Google Scholar]
  39. (2022) Contact-induced language change: The case of Mixtec adverbial clauses. Journal of Language Contact, , –. 10.1163/19552629‑15010001
     https://doi.org/10.1163/19552629-15010001 [Google Scholar]
  40. (2023) Areality of clause-linkage: The consecutive construction in Mesoamerican languages. Voprosy Jazykoznanija, , –. 10.31857/0373‑658X.2023.3.122‑142
     https://doi.org/10.31857/0373-658X.2023.3.122-142 [Google Scholar]
  41. (2024a) Semantically negative clause-linkage: ‘Let alone’ constructions, expletive negation, and theoretical implications. Linguistic Typology, , –. 10.1515/lingty‑2022‑0066
     https://doi.org/10.1515/lingty-2022-0066 [Google Scholar]
  42. (2024b) ‘Until’ clauses and expletive negation in Huasteca Nahuatl. Studies in Language, , –. 10.1075/sl.22064.olg
     https://doi.org/10.1075/sl.22064.olg [Google Scholar]
  43. Olguín Martínez, Jesus, & Gries, Stefan Th
    (2025) The similative-pretence alternating pair and filler-slot relations. A revised version of distinctive collexeme analysis. Constructions and Frames, , –. 10.1075/cf.23020.olg
     https://doi.org/10.1075/cf.23020.olg [Google Scholar]
  44. Olguín Martínez, Jesus, & Gries, Stefan Th. Gries
    (2025) Similative-pretence constructions in language contact situations: A Usage-Based Construction Grammar perspective. Cognitive Linguistic Studies, , –. 10.1075/cogls.25015.olg
     https://doi.org/10.1075/cogls.25015.olg [Google Scholar]
  45. Royo Viñuales, Victor, & Van linden, An
    (2025) Beyond hypothetical manner: A functional typology of insubordinate como si-clauses. Folia Linguistica, , –. 10.1515/flin‑2024‑2055
     https://doi.org/10.1515/flin-2024-2055 [Google Scholar]
  46. Sakel, Jeanette
    (2007) Types of loan: Matter and pattern. InMatras, Yaron & Jeanette Sakel (Eds.), Grammatical borrowing in cross-linguistic perspective (pp.–). Mouton de Gruyter. 10.1515/9783110199192.15
     https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110199192.15 [Google Scholar]
  47. Schapper, Antoinette & Koptjevskaja-Tamm, Maria
    (2021) Introduction to special issue on areal typology of lexico-semantics. Linguistic Typology, , –. 10.1515/lingty‑2021‑2087
     https://doi.org/10.1515/lingty-2021-2087 [Google Scholar]
  48. Schulze, Wolfgang
    (2017) Toward a cognitive typology of like-expressions. InTreis, Yvonne & Martine Vanhove (Eds.), Similative and equative constructions: A cross-linguistic perspective (pp.–). John Benjamins. 10.1075/tsl.117.03sch
     https://doi.org/10.1075/tsl.117.03sch [Google Scholar]
  49. Smirnova, Irina, Vetrinskaya, Victoria, & Clemente–Smirnova, Svetlana
    (2023) Grammatical features of Spanish in the Mexican state of Oaxaca. E3S Web of Conferences, 05034. 10.1051/e3sconf/202337105034
     https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202337105034 [Google Scholar]
  50. Stefanowitsch, Anatol, & Gries, Stefan T.
    (2003) Collostructions: Investigating the interaction between words and constructions. International Journal of Corpus Linguistics, , –. 10.1075/ijcl.8.2.03ste
     https://doi.org/10.1075/ijcl.8.2.03ste [Google Scholar]
  51. Stolz, Thomas, & Levkovych, Nataliya
    (2022) On loan conjunctions: A comparative study with special focus on the languages of the former Soviet Union. InNataliya Levkovych (Ed.), Susceptibility vs. resistance: Case studies on different structural categories in language contact situations (pp.–). De Gruyter Mouton. 10.1515/9783110785517‑006
     https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110785517-006 [Google Scholar]
  52. Strobl, Carolin, Malley, James, & Tutz, Gerhard
    (2009) An introduction to recursive partitioning: Rationale, application and characteristics of classification and regression trees, bagging and random forests. Psychological Methods, , –. 10.1037/a0016973
     https://doi.org/10.1037/a0016973 [Google Scholar]
  53. Thomason, Sarah G., & Kaufman, Terrence
    (1988) Language contact, creolization, and genetic linguistics. University of California Press. 10.1525/9780520912793
     https://doi.org/10.1525/9780520912793 [Google Scholar]
  54. Trudgill, Peter
    (2009) Sociolinguistic typology and complexification. InSampson, Geoffrey, Gil, David & Peter Trudgill (Eds.), Language complexity as an evolving variable (pp.–). Oxford University Press. 10.1093/oso/9780199545216.003.0007
     https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780199545216.003.0007 [Google Scholar]
  55. Trujillo, Ramon
    (1990) Sobre la explicación de algunas construcciones de como. Verba, , –.
     [Google Scholar]
  56. Wiesinger, Evelyn
    (2021) The Spanish verb-particle construction [V para atrás]. InBoas, Hans C. & Steffen Höder (Eds.), Constructions in Contact 2 Language change, multilingual practices, and additional language acquisition (pp.–). John Benjamins. 10.1075/cal.30.06wie
     https://doi.org/10.1075/cal.30.06wie [Google Scholar]
  57. Wilson, Damián V.
    (2013) One construction, two source languages: Hacer with an English infinitive in bilingual discourse. InCarvalho, Ana & Sara Beadrie (Eds.), Proceedings from the 6th International Workshop on Spanish sociolinguistics (pp.–). Cascadilla Proceedings Project.
     [Google Scholar]
/content/journals/10.1075/rcl.00250.olg
Loading
Filler-slot relations in language contact
John Benjamins ; https://doi.org/10.1075/rcl.00250.olg
/content/journals/10.1075/rcl.00250.olg
/content/journals/10.1075/rcl.00250.olg
Loading

Data & Media loading...

  • Article Type: Research Article
Keywords: pretence ; filler-slot relations ; language contact ; predictive modeling. ; similative

Most Cited

This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address
Approval was successful
Invalid data
An Error Occurred
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error