The constructionalization of "y compris". A diachronic analysis

Abstract

This article aims to examine the increase in use of the phrase y compris from a diachronic perspective. Originally, y compris was an absolute proposition with a nominal phrase as a subject. However, in contemporary usage, y compris can be followed by various elements such as adverbs, adjectives, and propositions. Based on data from the written corpus Frantext, we performed a diachronic analysis to describe this widening of use. The analysis showed that the usage expansion of y compris is characterized by an increase in its total frequency and a contextual and functional extension in the modern period. The analysis and discussion reveal that the phenomena observed in y compris could be explained by the concept of constructionalization developed by the diachronic construction grammar approach.