Formal Semantic Approach to Functional Categories: A Comparative Study of Japanese and Slavic Languages

• Project/Area Number: 24520443
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Linguistics
• Research Institution: Kwansei Gakuin University
• Principal Investigator: KUSUMOTO Kiyomi 関西学院大学, 文学部, 教授 (50326641)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): URA Hiroyuki 関西学院大学, 文学部, 教授 (40283816)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2014)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,680,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥1,080,000); Fiscal Year 2014: ¥1,560,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥360,000); Fiscal Year 2013: ¥1,690,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥390,000); Fiscal Year 2012: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000)
• Keywords: 形式意味論 / 機能範疇 / 格 / スラブ系言語

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this project, we sought semantic and syntactic evidence for the existence of functional projections by examining linguistic phenomena peculiar to root or embedded clauses. We focused on accusative-genitive case alternation in Japanese and Slavic languages that we find in intensional contexts, cross-linguitic varieties of temporal interpretations in temporal adjunct clauses and dative subject constructions. We concluded that the size of functional projections in embedded contexts are not uniform across languages and in particular that Japanese embedded clauses are not full-fledged CPs.

Research Products

• [Journal Article] On the Stativity of the Fourth-Class Verbs and their Cousins in Japanese (2014)
  • Author(s): Kiyomi Kusumoto
  • Journal Title: Japanese Korean Linguistics 23 Volume: 23
• [Journal Article] Dative Subjects and Impersonals in Null-subject Languages (2014)
  • Author(s): Hiryuki Ura
  • Journal Title: Japanese Syntax in Comparative Perspective Volume: -
• [Journal Article] Genitive Object in Kansai Japanese and Slavic Languages (2013)
  • Author(s): Kiyomi Kusumoto
  • Journal Title: Formal Approaches to Japanese Linguistics Volume: 6 Pages: 109-120
• [Journal Article] Weak NPIs and Double Scope Quantifiers (2013)
  • Author(s): Kiyomi Kusumoto and Christopher Tancredi
  • Journal Title: 言語文化研究所紀要 Volume: 44 Pages: 189-226
  • NAID: 40019631864
• [Journal Article] 分配束縛の統語メカニズム分析とパラメター理論 (2013)
  • Author(s): 石野尚・浦啓之
  • Journal Title: 関西学院大学 英米文学 Volume: 57 Pages: 258-272
• [Presentation] Geis-Ambiguity and Tense in Adjunct Clauses (2014)
  • Author(s): Kiyomi Kusumoto
  • Organizer: The 9th International Workshop on Theoretical East Asian Linguistics
  • Place of Presentation: ナント大学、フランス
  • Year and Date: 2014-09-25
• [Presentation] Type Theory and Quantification (2014)
  • Author(s): Kiyomi Kusumoto
  • Organizer: 日本第二言語習得学会
  • Place of Presentation: 関西学院大学
  • Year and Date: 2014-09-04
  • Invited
• [Presentation] On the Stativity of the Fourth-Class Verbs and their Cousins in Japanese (2013)
  • Author(s): Kiyomi Kusumoto
  • Organizer: Japanese Korean Linguistics 23
  • Place of Presentation: MIT, USA
• [Presentation] 格≠一致？: Disagreement between Case and Agreement (2013)
  • Author(s): Hiroyuki Ura
  • Organizer: 第３１回日本英語学会全国大会
  • Place of Presentation: 九州大学
• [Presentation] Genitive Object in Kansai Japanese and Slavic Languages
  • Author(s): Kiyomi Kusumoto
  • Organizer: Formal Approaches to Japanese Linguistics 6
  • Place of Presentation: Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany
• [Presentation] Distributive Binding and Two Types of Binding Theory in Syntax
  • Author(s): Nao Ishino and Hiroyuki Ura
  • Organizer: 日本英語学会第３０回大会
  • Place of Presentation: 慶応義塾大学