On Serial Verb Constructions in Japanese Sign Language

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K02551
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Linguistics
• Research Institution: Kobe City College of Technology
• Principal Investigator: Imazato Noriko 神戸市立工業高等専門学校, その他部局等, 教授 (90259903)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 日本手話 / 動詞連続構文 / 構文 / 文法化 / 移動構文 / 動詞分類 / 類辞

Outline of Final Research Achievements

A sign language, such as the Japanese Sign Language, is often believed to be a mere aggregation of gestures by non-signers, even though it actually is a complex sign system with rigorous grammar. Thanks to a number of previous studies on spoken languages, we already know that “grammaticalization,” the process of a content word changing into a grammatical element(s) in a specific circumstance, has been recognized as one of the processes of creating “grammar.” Our research clearly shows that serial verb constructions, predicates made of plural verbs, facilitate grammaticalization in Japanese sign language. We also determine the precise conditions that serial verb constructions should follow to be the right circumstance for grammaticalization.

Free Research Field

手話言語学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

言語学理論へは、JSLデータの記述保存、類型論の視点から視覚言語と音声言語の比較を可能にすること、手話言語の文法の萌芽と背景にある人間の認知能力の関係の解明が「言語」システムそのものの解明につながることで貢献できる。さらに二次的な意義として，今後予想される手話言語利用拡大時には、データと研究成果が文法書・辞書作成、通訳養成、手話指導等の準備として近い将来社会に広く還元できる．