A Comparative Linguistics Study on the Development of the Morphological System of the Proto-Germanic Strong Verbs

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K02520
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Linguistics
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: TANAKA Toshiya 九州大学, 言語文化研究院, 教授 (80207117)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: Proto-Germanic / verb system / strong verbs / preterite-present verbs / paradigmatic levelling / morphological conflation / Verner's law / Narten imperfect

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This investigation aims to provide a new approach to the issue of how the Proto-Germanic strong verbs historically developed. It has been demonstrated that a consistent theoretical account can be given to various empirical phenomena in view of the new hypothesis that the morphological system of the Proto-Germanic strong verbs was generated via a morphological conflation of the Proto-Indo-European (PIE) perfect active and the PIE athematic imperfect, whereas the system of the PGmc. preterite-present verbs was created by way of a morphological mix of the PIE perfect active and the PIE athematic present middle.

Free Research Field

歴史・比較言語学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

この期間に学術論文2点を公刊し、そのうち1点は日本言語学会機関紙である『言語研究』第152号に掲載することができた。また、口頭発表を5点行うことができた。そのうち1点は、日本歴史言語学会第5回大会（北海学園、2015年12月）にて英語で発表し、3点は国際研究会 Language Variation and Change (LVC) Network で英語で発表した。このような形で、研究成果を社会に向けて発信した。