The Study of Tag-Questions in the History of English from the viewpoints of Grammaticalization and Subjectification

• Project/Area Number: 24520543
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: English linguistics
• Research Institution: Hiroshima Shudo University (2013-2014); Tottori University (2012)
• Principal Investigator: FUKUMOTO Hiroji 広島修道大学, 商学部, 教授 (60273877)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2014)
• Budget Amount: ¥3,900,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥900,000); Fiscal Year 2014: ¥910,000 (Direct Cost: ¥700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥210,000); Fiscal Year 2013: ¥2,210,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,700,000、Indirect Cost: ¥510,000); Fiscal Year 2012: ¥780,000 (Direct Cost: ¥600,000、Indirect Cost: ¥180,000)
• Keywords: 英語史 / 文法化 / 付加疑問文 / 主観化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

I examined how tag questions have developed through the course of the history of English and when tag questions in the present-day English became common. I also investigated what kind of expressions were used before tag questions were established. I concluded that tag questions came into use from the early Modern English period, and it became clear that the tag questions seen today were commonly used from the latter half of the 18th century.