2011 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Split Intransitivity in Japanese
| Project/Area Number |
20720119
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Research Field |
Japanese linguistics
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| Research Institution | Seijo University (2010-2011)
Gunma University (2008-2009) |
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Principal Investigator |
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| Project Period (FY) |
2008 – 2011
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| Keywords | 日本語史 |
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| Research Abstract |
This research was carried out with the main focus on the following two points which will lead to the new character of case marking system in early old and old Japanese.
(1) Active-inactivity of case markers, wo, si, i.
(2) Active-inactivity of a case marking system that consists of null arguments in main clauses.
Differing from modern Japanese, in early old Japanese case particle wo marks not only objects but also subjects of inactive intransitive verbs. Case particle si, which is peculiar to early old Japanese, marks only internal arguments in the same way as wo. Therefore, wo and si are characterized as an inactive marker. Case particle i marks only subjects of transitive verbs and active intransitive verbs. Therefore, i is characterized as an active marker. On the other hand, I discussed a case system of main clauses that consists of null arguments in old Japanese. The conclusion is summed up in the following. The case system of main clauses in old Japanese is a system that neither accusative nor ergative, but rather a system that conceptually neutralizes this division, a system unmarked as to accusative or ergative.
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