From the Reflexive to the Middle Construction: What is ‘In-Between’? a Comparison Between English and Italian.

This chapter explores the space between two well-established constructions in English—namely, the reflexive construction (RC) and the middle construction (MC). It identifies and analyzes two intermediary constructions, the middle-reflexive construction (MRC) and the evaluative middle-reflexive construction (EMRC), which have been overlooked in linguistic research. Through empirical analysis and contrastive examination with Italian, the study investigates the distinct syntactic patterns and semantic structures in the two languages. Drawing on the theoretical principles of Construction Grammar and Cognitive Linguistics, it elucidates how lexical-constructional integration is influenced by cognitive operations, such as metaphor and metonymy, that motivate structural representation: certain patterns are unique to English, while others present similarities and differences in terms of reflexivity, agentivity, and impersonality when compared to their Italian counterparts. The study ultimately highlights the significance of mental representations as a means to explain language behaviour and variation. Future research needs to explore additional "grey areas" between construction types, emphasizing the existence of a continuum of syntactic and semantic relatedness.