Idiomatic verb-clitic constructions: lexicalization and productivity

The paper proposes a constructionist analysis of verb-clitic combinations in Italian that are characterized by non-compositional semantics and structural fixedness (e.g. prendersela 'to become upset', smetterla 'to give it a rest'). Although most of these formations are the result of lexicalization, the paper shows that one verb-clitic combination – including typically a motion verb and the clitic cluster -sene (e.g. tornarsene a casa vs. tornare a casa 'to come back home') has developed into an independent semi-specified and semi-productive construction with emphatic meaning.