Hungarian verbal prefixes:grammaticalization and case alternation

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 22520431
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Linguistics
• Research Institution: Osaka University
• Principal Investigator: WASEDA Mika 大阪大学, 言語文化研究科(研究院), 教授 (30219448)
• Research Collaborator: OSZKÓ BEA ; ZAICZ Gábor ; KERESZTES László ; RÉVAI Valéria ; ESCHBACH SZABÓ Viktória
• Project Period (FY): 2010-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: ハンガリー語学 / 動詞接頭辞 / 文法化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The polysemy of Hungarian verbal prefixes can be analyzed as a semantic network that is constructed by metaphor and metonymy. The perfectivizing function of the verbal prefixes is derived from the grammaticalization process, by metaphorical extension from the central image schema and shifting the attention to the final stage of the process (end-point focusing). The focused or foregrounded element is marked by accusative case, because it is construed as the affected entity, and affected entities that change state, are expressed in syntax as direct objects. The subtle difference of meanings could be explained by the activation of backgrounded element of the image schema. The linguistic coding involves such factors as focus shift, foregrounding, backgrounding or figure/ground reversal.

Free Research Field

言語学