Lexical Functions:
The Naked Truth

Book: Lexical Functions: The Naked Truth

Authors:
Igor Mel’čuk & Alain Polguère

About the book: This book provides a systematic introduction to lexical functions, a central concept of Meaning–Text Theory for describing lexical relations, derivations and collocations. Through examples from English, French and Russian, the authors present the system of 66 simple standard lexical functions and show how they can be used to model paradigmatic and syntagmatic relations within the lexicon.

Combining theoretical foundations with a pedagogical presentation, the volume offers a comprehensive account of lexical functions and their role in modelling the network structure of natural-language lexicons. It will be of particular interest to researchers and students in lexicology, lexicography, phraseology, lexical semantics and Meaning–Text Theory.

Igor Mel’čuk is one of the principal founders of Meaning–Text Theory and has made major contributions to lexical semantics, morphology, syntax and phraseology. Alain Polguère is a linguist and lexicographer specialising in lexical semantics, phraseology, lexical networks and explanatory combinatorial lexicography.

5. Honoré Champion
(in preparation)

Honoré Champion

Book : Contrastive phraseology, both theoretical and applied: digital phraseography, phraseotranslation, and phraseodidacty - (Idiomatic expressions in French and Chinese relating to the human body and animals), Honoré Champion (Forewords by Prof. Jean Pruvost and Prof. Alain Peyraube. (Contract signed, a final version is expected in February 2026.)

Author :
Lian CHEN 陈恋 (LLL, University of Orléans, CRLAO-CNRS-INALCO, France)

4. Language Science Press
(in preparation)

Languague Science Press

Volume : Multiword Expressions and Neology: Corpus Analysis and NLP Approaches (2027)

Guest Editors :
Lian CHEN 陈恋 (LLL, University of Orléans, CRLAO-CNRS-INALCO, France)

Besim KABASHI (Computational Linguistics, University of Tübingen, Germany)

HuyLinh DAO 匋辉靈 (CRLAO-CNRS-INALCO-EHESS, France)

3. 南京大学出版社 2026
(in preparation)

南京大学出版社Nanjing University Press

Volume : 人类智慧、人工智能与辞书编纂新范式 [Human and Artificial Intelligence: A New Paradigm for Dictionary Creation] (2026)
Coordinator : GENG Yundong 耿云冬 (Associate Professor, Bilingual Lexicographer in the Department of Foreign Languages ​​at Huazhong University, China).
CHEN Lian 陈恋 (LLL laboratory - University of Orléans; CRLAO-CNRS-INALCO， France).

2. Book of Jean Pruvost to translate
(in preparation)

Les dictionnaires français, outils d'une langue et d'une culture : Outils d'une langue et d'une culture

Translator : CHEN Lian 陈恋 (Rights already granted by Professor Jean Pruvost and the Ophrys edition)
Publishing house : Seeking a publishing house in China for collaboration .

1. Book of WANG Li 王力（in preparation)

汉语史稿

Translator : HUANG Jianhua 黄建华, & HUANG Fang 黄芳 & CHEN Lian 陈恋
Translation project : Project financed in collaboration with Guangdong University of Foreign Studies (广东外贸大学), China, and published by Editions L'Harmattan, France.