2000 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Semantiac and Pragmatic Study on Referential/Non-referential Noun Phrases
| Project/Area Number |
10610520
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
言語学・音声学
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| Research Institution | Keio University |
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Principal Investigator |
NISHIYAMA Yuji Institute of Cultural and Linguistic Studies, Keio University, Professor, 言語文化研究所, 教授 (90051747)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
KUMAMOTO Chiaki Faculty of Culture and Education, Saga University Associate Professor, 文化教育学部, 助教授 (10153355)
KOYA Itsuki Faculty of Law, Keio University, Associate Professor, 法学部, 助教授 (80234904)
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| Project Period (FY) |
1998 – 2000
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| Keywords | topic / reference / copular sentences / specificational sentence / NP involving a variable / attributive noun phrases / concealed question / presentational function |
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| Research Abstract |
We have given various considerations to semantic properties of the subject NP and the predicate NP in copular sentences. The notion of NPIV (NP involving a variable) is essential for the explanation of ambiguity an NP shows with respect to referentiality. This notion has been profitably employed to make the following findings :
(1) The NP "A" in a specificational sentence of the form "A wa B da" is an NPIV and not a referential NP.The NP, therefore, cannot stand as the topic of the sentence, nor can the sentence itself be properly called a topic sentence, contrary to a widely held opinion. (Cf.Nishiyama 2000)
(2) To understand the ambiguity of the expression "the grammar that a speaker knows" helps to resolve the confusion surrounding the controversial question of what is the identity of a speaker's grammar. (Cf.Nishiyama 1998)
(3) When compared with English inverted sentences, it becomes clear that one type of "A ga B da" sentence exemplified by "Tokuni osusumenano ga kono menyuu desu" serves a presentational function, which is quite distinct from either the function of identification or that of specification. A in this type of sentence does not describe the characteristics of B nor does it contain a variable. (Cf.Kumamoto 2000)
We have also shown the significance of the approach based on the semantic functions actually performed by the constituents in the subject position and the predicate position in a given sentence. Specifically, we have proved the following :
(4) Not only NPs and APs but also PPs function as predicatives, which is supported by cross language data. (Cf.Koya 1998, )
(5) Analysis of copular sentences based solely on formal aspects such as word order or definite-indefinite distinction has its limitations. (Cf.Kumamoto 1998)
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Research Products
(13 results)
