Grammatical prototypes of the English language
Grammatical prototypes are linguistic constructions that are most frequently used by (and thus most readily available and cognitively salient to) the speakers of a given language.
Background theory
[edit | edit source]Grammatical prototypes are a type of conceptual prototype. Prototype theory was formally begun by Eleanor Rosch in the early 1970s.
Examples
[edit | edit source]A common situation in which speakers need to increase the conceptual visibility (the maximal scope in Langacker's terms) of the whole underlying conceptual structure of a future event is "plans for the weekend."
"What are your plans for the weekend?"
"I am going to read a book".
"I am going to do the groceries".
"I am going to visit my grandmother".