ABSTRACT
Prototype effects are pervasive in human categorization. Nevertheless, the significance of prototype categorization for linguistic theory is still a matter of debate. The opposition between "classical" and "prototype" modes of categorization is now commonplace. Classical categorization assumes an invariant set of core attributes that simultaneously define the category and serve as criteria for membership in it. Many mainstream theories of syntax, especially those generated over the past few decades by Chomsky's writings, seek very general principles of syntactic well-formedness. Expressions are sanctioned by the constructions that they instantiate, rather than by their conformity with general principles. Constructions are complex entities, which need to be characterized simultaneously from various perspectives - the parts of which they are composed, the configuration of the parts, the contribution of the parts to the overall meaning of the construction, the semantic, pragmatic, and discourse value of the construction, and so on.
