grammar out of lexis

Question

Do you agree with this?"lexis is complexly and systematically structured and that grammar is an outcome of this lexical structure" (Hoey 2005)

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

Agree with it? I don't even understand it!

Is this equivalent to saying grammar is an emergent phenomenon based purely on words (and their properties)? If so, that's an interesting hypothesis. I wouldn't mind hearing some of the details.

CJ

Milky · Answer

CalifJimAgree with it? I don't even understand it!

Is this equivalent to saying grammar is an emergent phenomenon based purely on words (and their properties)? If so, that's an interesting hypothesis. I wouldn't mind hearing some of the details.

CJ

Sorry, Jim, but I meant to come back and edit it. I was prevented from doing so because, for some odd reason, I'm still on moderation. I was told it would be a month, but it's been six months or more. Most frustrating.

Here it is again:

<<Do you agree with this?

"lexis is complexly and systematically structured and grammar is an outcome of this lexical structure" (Hoey 2005)

Something like that, yes.

Here's part of a review for Hoey's book Lexical Priming: A new theory of words and language:

"Classical theory holds that grammar is generated first and words are then dropped into the opportunities thus created; Hoey's theory reverses the roles of lexis and grammar, arguing that lexis is complexly and systematically structured and that grammar is an outcome of this lexical structure."

You can read something about grammaticalised lexis here (see Principle 1):

grammar out of lexis

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