This paper deals with the semantics of the complex prepositional phrase u vezi (s(a)) (?in connection with, regarding?), as well as with the functionality of its usage. The analysis is based on a dataset of 224 examples extracted from the srWac corpus. The findings indicate that the expression u vezi (s(a)) can denote various types of primarily abstract relationships, such as causality, similarity, and content. However, the main semantic component of this prepositional phrase is the notion of an indirect or intermediary connection. Moreover, a significant number of examples demonstrate that there is a simpler and semantically more adequate alternative for this expression; in other words, over 25% of the data amounts to examples of dysfunctional usage, i.e., examples in which u vezi (s(a)) could be replaced with a simpler and semantically more adequate alternative. This pattern of usage suggests that, due to its abstract and vague semantics, the expression u vezi (s(a)) has become a prominent feature of official and bureaucratic discourse and a means for conveying authority or competence of the author in other types of discourse.
Jovan Cudomirovic (2025) studied this question.