Theoretical Study of Sentential/Linking Adverbials and SLA

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K02826
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: English linguistics
• Research Institution: Chukyo University
• Principal Investigator: Tsuzuki Masako 中京大学, 国際学部, 教授 (00227448)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 奉 鉉京 立命館大学, 国際関係学部, 教授 (50434593)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 談話辞 / 文副詞 / 前置詞句 / 移動構文 / 第二言語習得 / 英語学習

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Focusing on adverbs such as 'really' and 'actually', which have a wide variety of uses including sentential adverbs, linking adverbs, and discourse verbs, we analyzed and discussed the acquisition and learning status of Japanese learners of English(JLE), using a corpus of English utterances of JLE in interview-style tests. The results suggest that as English proficiency increases (TOEIC score of 750/TOEFL score of 580 or higher), Japanese learners are able to use a wide variety of 'really' and 'actually' as frequently and effectively as native English speakers. We also analyzed the use of 'indeed' in the novels of Kazuo Ishiguro, a Japanese-British novelist. It was suggested that there is a specific use of "indeed" in the novels, which shows a politeness effect.

Free Research Field

英語学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

really, actually, in fact, indeedなどの副詞類は、強意副詞・文副詞・談話辞など多様な用法を有し、多くの用法が重複しているため、その使い分けは複雑で難しい。一方で、それらは逆接など談話の構成や展開の仕方を示す、聞き手に共感を訴えるポライトネス機能を有するなど様々な談話機能を有するため、パラグラフ・ライティングにおける論理展開や対面会話における円滑なコミュニケーションの鍵となる。それらの用法の習得状況を分析・考察することは意義がある。