Gradualness in contact-induced constructional replication. The Abstract Possession construction in the Circum-Mediterranean area

In this paper the authors investigate the emergence, the diachronic spread and the resulting areal distribution of the so-called Abstract Possession construction in the Circum-Mediterranean area. In this construction, grammatical means typically used to convey concrete possession are recruited to express feelings and other abstract states. The authors explore the dynamics through which this construal gradually extended both in space and time with reference to a well-defined grammaticalization area. The authors take into account cases of contact-induced grammatical replication and show that different degrees of grammaticalization correlate with geographical factors. The authors also address some issues pertaining to the field of lexical typology and explore the privileged semantic paths along which the construction was extended in different languages. Finally, on the basis of their data the authors provide some insights into the functional characterization of the domain of abstract possession.