Despite the abundance of research on collocations, the definitions of this multi-word unit type vary. Collocations are often classified into motivated and arbitrary (non-motivated). In contrast to motivated, arbitrary collocations can not be identified on the basis of semantic restrictions which are largely predictable as they depict the nonverbal reality. For example, such word combinations as nice environment or grey coat are determined by selectional restrictions – the collocability of lexical items is motivated by their semantic congruity. On the contrary, lexical restrictions, which govern the collocability of arbitrary collocations are neither predictable nor universal (e.g., sveika aplinka/healthy environment, pilkas gyvenimas/grey life, šilti namai/warm home, švaistyti laiką/ to waste time).
The object of this research is arbitrary collocations of Lithuanian. The collocations are analyzed on the basis of the resources collected in the previous project “Automatic Identification of Lithuanian Multi-word Expressions (PASTOVU)”.
The project aims to describe the criteria of arbitrary collocation identification for the Lithuanian language and prepare related lexicographical and teaching resources.
The expected project results: to prepare the methodology and describe the criteria for arbitrary collocation identification; to update the database developed in the PASTOVU project by annotating the existing and adding new arbitrary collocations; to develop an electronic dictionary of arbitrary collocations; to prepare an educational resource for arbitrary collocation teaching, learning and translation.
Project duration: 2020-2022.