Acknowledgements
The subject of this book was earliest discussed in Wien with Wolfgang U. Dressler, whose sound advice and insightful remarks were a fundamental starting point for my work. Our discussions in Viareggio and his constant feedback during the various phases of the project were also central to the development of this work. I am grateful to Ulli Dressler for being a mentor, a co-author, a friend, and all of this with the most affectionate and helpful manners and still the most brilliant mind.
Parts of this book were presented at conferences and colloquia, whose audiences not only offered countless comments and suggestions but, above all, showed interest in the topic of combining forms. The valuable discussions with scholars, at both national and international levels, confirmed the need for a novel and fresh investigation of combining forms in modern English. I am indebted to all those who participated in the discussions and contributed with their ideas and thoughts.
I am especially grateful to Marianne Kilani-Schoch and Elke Ronneberger-Sibold for their careful reading of the manuscript. Their incisive comments and thoughtful critiques on the theoretical chapter were essential for its refinement. I sincerely thank them for their generous gift of time. I would also like to thank all the anonymous reviewers who have read the draft of this book and of the manuscripts of my articles on the topic of combining forms. I also wish to thank the editors of the volumes, journals, or issues where my previous research on combining forms, blends, and splinters was published: Mark Aronoff, Isabel Balteiro, Laurie Bauer, Pier Marco Bertinetto, Gabriella Del Lungo, John Douthwaite, Cristina Fernández-Alcaina, John Humbley, Laura Jottini, Cristina Lara-Clares, Michele Loporcaro, Alba E. Ruz, Jean-François Sablayrolles, Mario Squartini, Pavol Štekauer, and Carla Vergaro all deserve my acknowledgements for giving me the opportunity to explore this area of research and for helping me to publish relevant contributions. I also thank Marcus Callies, Matthias Eitelmann, and Dagmar Haumann for sharing with me their forthcoming work on related topics.
Special thanks are also due to the series editor of this book, Merja Kytö, who read and commented on the pre-final version of the manuscript. Her useful comments on numerous points and constructive criticism helped me to improve the final product considerably. I also wish to express my gratitude to Helen Barton of Cambridge University Press for believing in my project, for identifying the ‘Studies in English Language’ series as a suitable venue for my work, and for being always so kind and helpful to me: her support and assistance were fundamental in the submission stage.
I would also like to acknowledge Marcella Bertuccelli Papi for her endless encouragement and support. Very special thanks are due to John Ayers and Anzelle Louw for their careful reading of the whole manuscript and for their insightful observations.
My greatest debt is to my husband, Luca, and to my daughter, Matilde, to whom this book is dedicated. Not only have they given me substantial technical support, but they have also encouraged me at every stage in the preparation of the book.
