Wörterbuch der Kollokationen im Deutschen by Uwe Quasthoff (2011) is the first dictionary of collocations in the German language. The term “collocation” is used differently in different research traditions. The lexicographic approach to collocations, especially of pedagogical lexicography, assumes that collocations consist of two items: a base, which is semantically autonomous, and the collocate, which cannot be semantically interpreted in isolation. The dictionary contains different structures of collocations. With the base as noun there are: adjective + noun, noun (as subject) + verb, noun (as object) + verb, noun (as prepositional complement) + verb; with the base as verb: adverb + verb; with the base as adjective: adverb + adjective. The “function verb constructions” (Funktionsverbgefüge), which are similar in structure to the noun-verb collocations, are defined by some linguists as a subgroup of collocations, and by others as a different phenomenon. The problem of “function verb constructions” is not mentioned in the preface to this dictionary, but the lexicographical material contains many examples of “composite predicates”. That leads to the reflection on the similarities, the differences and the distinction between the two phenomena. 

The article looks further into the history of the idiom “zwischen zwei Feuer” and attempts to shed light on etymological processes the idiom has undergone. Known both in German and other European languages, the idiom is however of quite obscure origin, which is exemplified by Russian and German phraseology. Being historical, the study relies on structural-semantic, cultural and comparative analysis of idiomatic variants (including historic variants). A comparative lingua-cultural analysis of the universal Indo-European mythologem ‘fire’ reveals the importance of mythical worldview in the development of phraseological systems.

“Geht mal euren Phrasen nach, bis zu dem Punkt, wo sie verkörpert werden” is an often cited expression which encourages scientists to conduct etymological research on idioms. The research on phraseological motivation gives us an insight into various conceptions related to perceiving the world which are greatly documented by idioms. The community of a particular culture and the culture itself also wield an enormous influence in this respect. In the article we shall discuss the sources of phraseological motivation in the German language which relate to man and which document the contribution of man to the development of culture.