An analysis of derived words in terms of null operator movement and its consequences

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K02755
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: English linguistics
• Research Institution: Yamagata University
• Principal Investigator: Tomizawa Naoto 山形大学, 人文社会科学部, 教授 (40227616)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 形容詞的受動形 / 難易度構文 / 述語NP移動 / 不定詞関係節 / adjectival passives / tough-constructions / predicate NP movement / infinitival relatives

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Adjectives derived from passive forms of verbs such as 'alleged' and 'designated' are differentiated semantically from other de-verbal adjectives such as 'invited.' Thus, 'an alleged singer' refers to a person who is alleged to be a singer, which is quite different from, say, 'an invited singer,' which does refer to some singer. This unique semantic property of the former group of deverbal passive adjectives is shown to follow naturally from the interaction of the well-established, basic rules of the English grammar. It is also shown that the same grammatical rules generate complex adjectives: '-to-be,' 'would-be,' and 'wannabe.'
In addition, a rule that is involved in the generation of these derivational adjectives is shown to be employed in the formations of what is conventionally called "tough-construction" such as 'John is easy to talk to' as well as infinitival relative clauses.

Free Research Field

英語学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

形容詞的受動形の中で例外と捉えられてきたalleged等のタイプが、英文法の基本的な規則（つまり、be動詞の主語と述語の倒置と、それに伴う述語の移動）によって、いつ可能か正確に予測でき、かつ、その規則の汎用性が異なる種類の派生形容詞で証明されたこと、および、他の構文の派生にもその規則の一部（つまり、述語の移動）が利用されていることが分かり、この分野での文法の単純化を進めることができ、また、特定の操作（つまり、述語移動）の重要性を示した。