Abstract

Construction Morphology represents derivational relations in hierarchical terms, essentially based on the mechanism of Default Inheritance. This is concretely visualized by vertical relations linking more general patterns or schemas that are placed higher up in the Construction with more specific constructions placed down. Constructions ordered in such vertical relationships are usually stacked in terms of specificity and/or scope of the schema, while these two criteria are not really elaborated in the current literature. In this paper, the attempt will be made at refining this view. In particular, attention will be focused on cases where new constructions are inferred ex nihilo by the speakers, i.e. where a more general construction is created that is formally less specific than the existing one, as is typical of secretion, backformation and spandrels.