Fundamental research on the language contact between peoples of the Enisei basin

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K02707
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Linguistics
• Research Institution: Kobe Yamate University (2018-2019); Kyoto University of Foreign Studies (2016-2017)
• Principal Investigator: Matsumoto Ryo 神戸山手大学, 現代社会学部, 准教授 (30745857)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 記述言語学 / フィールド言語学 / シベリア / 少数民族

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In the lower area of river Enisey, between Krasnojarsk Kraj and Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Russia, Nenets (Samojedic, Ural language family) and Evenki (Tungusic) live adjacently as the endangered languages. In this project I showed from the linguistic perspective that there was a possibility that the two languages groups were in contact during their historical racial migration. I collected and handled the Nenets data and linguistic materials by the field research, and compiled the Nenets grammar textbook with a dictionary for beginners. After that I initiated to research Khanti (Ugric, Ural language family), which lives next to Nenets and have the heavy language contact even now. I have already presented the report of Khanti phonology, in addition it will be included in my following new Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research Project.

Free Research Field

言語学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

これまで日本では取り上げられることのなかったエニセイ川流域の民族接触状況を報告したことは、言語学的意味のみならず、モンゴロイド系民族の移動の歴史や文化学にも資するものである。日本語とも言語類型論的に類似するサモエード諸語の言語データの提供や、言語接触による言語変化の例の提示は、言語学的にも興味深い事実である。入門の学習書や辞書の作成は、非専門家への研究成果の還元という点からも、社会的意義があると言えるだろう。