Der Band vereint linguistische Studien, die sich mit dem Zusammenwirken des Konventionalisierten und der Variation beschaftigen. Anhand konkreter Beispiele analysieren die Beitrage das Zusammenspiel zwischen Konventionalisierung und Variation, fragen nach den Grunden der Entstehung des Konventionellen und beschreiben das Variationspotenzial bzw. die Variationsrestriktionen. Die Beispiele decken das breite Spektrum zwischen eher grammatischen und eher lexikalischen Strukturen ab, lassen sich aber kaum eindeutig einem dieser Pole zuordnen. Somit liefern sie gute Nachweise fur den ebenenubergreifenden Charakter des Konventionellen, der aber nur vor dem Hintergrund der Variation adaquat verstanden werden kann. Mehrere Beitrage diskutieren explizit die Vor- und Nachteile der theoretischen Verortung solcher Wortverbindungen im Rahmen der existierenden Paradigmen (Phraseologieforschung, Konstruktionsgrammatik usw.).

The existence of formulaic patterns has been attested to all languages of the world. However, systematic research in this field has been focused on only a few European standard languages with a rich literary tradition and a high degree of written norm. It was on the basis of these data that the theoretical framework and methodological approaches were developed. The volume shifts this focus by centering the investigation on new data, including data from lesser-used languages and dialects, extra-european languages, linguistic varieties mostly used in spoken domains as well as at previous historical stages of language development. Their inclusion challenges the existing postulates at both a theoretical and methodological level. Areas of interest include the following questions: What is formulaic in these types of languages, varieties and dialects? Are the criteria developed within the framework of phraseological research applicable to new data? Can any specific types of formulaic patterns and/or any specific features of regular (already known) types of formulaic patterns be observed and how do they emerge? What methodological difficulties need to be overcome when dealing with new data?

The existence of formulaic patterns has been attested to all languages of the world. However, systematic research in this field has been focused on only a few European standard languages with a rich literary tradition and a high degree of written norm. It was on the basis of these data that the theoretical framework and methodological approaches were developed. The volume shifts this focus by centering the investigation on new data, including data from lesser-used languages and dialects, extra-european languages, linguistic varieties mostly used in spoken domains as well as at previous historical stages of language development. Their inclusion challenges the existing postulates at both a theoretical and methodological level. Areas of interest include the following questions: What is formulaic in these types of languages, varieties and dialects? Are the criteria developed within the framework of phraseological research applicable to new data? Can any specific types of formulaic patterns and/or any specific features of regular (already known) types of formulaic patterns be observed and how do they emerge? What methodological difficulties need to be overcome when dealing with new data?