Boris “Ich bin drin” Becker ('Boris I am in Becker'). Syntax, semantics and pragmatics of a special naming construction

- A phrasal category (CP) is inserted into a configuration of proper nouns.
- CP > N conversion hypothesis is not fully apt, as pragmatics must have access to CP.
- N “CP” N is part of a network of personal-name constructions.
- A contextualist approach can account for massive import of background knowledge.
- Wittiness effects are related to an exploitation of the M-Principle.

Constructions such as Germ. Boris “Ich bin drin” Becker ('Boris I am in Becker') follow a startling pattern. A quotation (“Ich bin drin”) is inserted in between two constituents of a complex personal-name construction (Boris Becker). The quotation relates to the person bearing this name. Therefore, the whole construction cannot be understood without massive contextual knowledge, i.e. knowing when, where, and why Boris Becker said so, and how this is relevant in the interpretation of the construction. In general, N “CP” N constructions such as Boris “Ich bin drin” Becker not only differ from canonical personal-name constructions such as Boris Becker in requiring the import of background knowledge, they also are connected to specific expressive effects such as wittiness or pejoration. Integrating findings from syntax, semantics, and pragmatics, a schema-based, constructional analysis of N “CP” N is proposed that incorporates a systematic interface with pragmatics. With respect to the pragmatics of N “CP” N, it is argued that a contextualist approach to the meaning of N “CP” N is suited to account for the findings.