The integration of exemplars and prior knowledge in the extension of schematic constructions: evidence from Chinese emerge-hide construction

•Schematic constructions' sanction of novel instances is well-regulated.•An efficient model of the extension of schematic constructions should take into consideration both the balance between economy and informativeness of exemplars and the native speakers' prior knowledge of the constructions.•The extension of schematic constructions is attracted by exemplars but constrained by native speakers' prior knowledge of the constructions.•Native speakers' prior knowledge of schematic constructions keeps the innovative uses of the constructions from drifting too far from the exemplars.

In the extension of schematic constructions, there is a correlation between the novel instances' degree of semantic deviance from the central members and their chronological order of appearance. Innovations in this process are not without limit. Neither of the two observations has been convincingly addressed in previous studies, which have been based on either the prototype view of categorization, which lacks informativeness, or exemplar view of categorization, which lacks cognitive economy. A categorization model that includes concrete instances and abstractions benefits from the advantages of both categorization views, while minimizing their weaknesses. This approach, when integrated with knowledge effects, sheds light on the mechanism behind the extension of schematic constructions, a process that is driven by the interaction between prior knowledge and exemplars. On the one hand, attraction to exemplars may lead to innovation. On the other hand, constructional prior knowledge regulates the innovations. That is, because of the anchoring role of constructional prior knowledge, innovation remains conservative. This is clearly evidenced by the history of the Chinese emerge-hide (EH) construction, which is traced back to before the 6th century BC.