A comparative syntactic study of split ergativity: Evidence from nominalizations and the semantic properties of verbs

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K12388
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 02060:Linguistics-related
• Research Institution: Kwansei Gakuin University
• Principal Investigator: IMANISHI Yusuke 関西学院大学, 総合政策学部, 教授 (80734011)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: （分裂）能格性 / 名詞化 / 活格性 / 一致現象 / マヤ諸語 / 琉球諸語

Outline of Final Research Achievements

I have shown that split ergativity found in Kaqchikel (Mayan) and Kikai (Ryukyuan) is derived from particular syntactic factors, but not from independent alignment rules. For example, I have proposed that the variation of alignment patterns in the accusative side of the ergative split of Kaqchikel, Chol and Q’anjob’al follows from a parametric difference between Kaqchikel and Chol/Q’anjob’al regarding nominalizations found in these languages. Parts of this work have appeared in international journals such as Natural Language and Linguistic Theory.
In addition, I have suggested that the active alignment pattern found in Kikai can be explained by the semantic properties of verbs. In particular, it has been shown that the volitionality of intransitive verbs correlates with the possibility of zero case-marking on their subject. Parts of this work have been published as the single-authored book titled Gengo-no Nookakusei.

Free Research Field

言語学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究の成果をさらに精緻化することにより、自然言語の分裂能格性という複雑な文法メカニズムを広範囲に亘って説明できる理論を構築することが可能となる。その暁には、自然言語がなぜ多様な格・一致形態素配列を持ち得るのかという文法機能に関する積年の課題に対して、有力な解答を得られることが期待される。また、本研究が扱うマヤ諸語と喜界語は、ユネスコにより存続の危機に瀕する可能性が高い言語に指定されているため、これらを研究することは無形文化の重要な一部である言語の記録・保全に寄与するものと期待される。