Phraseology and Lexicography. English and Italian Dictionaries of Collocations:1 a Comparison

Collocations are a major part of phraselogy; independently of terminological aspects, they are a much debated linguistic, theoretical, and lexicographical issue in both English and Italian, because of their pervasiveness on the one hand, and their classification with regard to different types of phraseological units and free combinations on the other. Lexicographically, collocations are included in general dictionaries and in specialised works: crucial policies of definition, inclusion and treatment highlight moot points especially for didactic purposes. In this respect English and Italian monolingual dictionaries of collocations well represent the current development of the long-standing connections between phraseology and both general and specialised lexicography, in particular with reference to pedagogic purposes. The ultimate, long-term aim of the research project this paper is based on is to start laying the foundation for the making of a bilingual dictionary of Italian and English lexical collocations, which would take into consideration the relation between the traditionally normative role of dictionaries and the usage-based, often innovative nature of collocations. The aim of the present paper is to identify convergences and asymmetries in defining and classificatory issues and in inclusion and treatment policies in English and Italian dictionaries of collocations, to see to what extent there is common ground which would be relevant to the above mentioned lexicographical project