The expression of instrumentality in Dutch and Italian cut and break sequences: a cross-linguistic analysis

Instrumentality, a topic often mentioned in one and the same breath as agents and patients in thematic analyses, is rarely considered a linguistic element in its own right. In the context of everyday language use, instrumentality is a very broad concept and is illustrated frequently, be it overt or not. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the different linguistic typologies and patterns that underlie the expression of different instrumental roles in Dutch and Italian and the function of gestures in instrumentality. Paradigms originating from cognitive and construction grammar are used to s... Mehr ...