Lexical and functional adpositions: the view from <em>of</em> in Old and present-day English

This article addresses the distinction amongst adpositions between those which are lexical and functional. The uses a corpus linguistic approach to address outstanding questions: whether there two distinct subclasses of adposition, is continuum adpositions, how— by what properties— functional distinguished. argues for primarily semantic, multifaceted best understood as continuum. argued be quite small, such that not strongly differentiated an argument made in support more status generally. A “bottom up” used, builds from observable differences one lexical, functional, characterizations about nature versus adpositions. used basis this Old English ofOE its present-day counterpart ofPDE. Of history offers uniquely ideal case-study investigation into given uncontroversial ofPDE accepted ofOE. identifies semantics, number available semantic relations. Syntax, morphophonology, possible replacement adposition case found represent areas major difference Instead, continuity syntax semantics. historical evidence provides opportunity explore grammaticalization comparative findings have consequences retention meaning expansion contradict notions coevolution semantics grammaticalization. context-specific also questioned on comparison