2012 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Diachronic Development and Semantic Extension of Japanese Expressionsof Ability and Degree of Difficulty

Research Project

Project/Area Number	22520460
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Section	一般
Research Field	Japanese linguistics
Research Institution	Kanazawa University
Principal Investigator	KONDOH Akira 金沢大学, 学校教育系, 教授 (50178406)
Project Period (FY)	2010 – 2012
Keywords	日本語史 / 可能表現 / 難易表現 / 危惧表現 / 文法化 / 配慮表現
Research Abstract	With respect to expressions denoting degree of difficulty, I examined expressions with auxiliary adjectives based on my previous research from the viewpoint of diachronic change. Through the examination, I described the direction and types of their semantic change and pointed out asymmetrical relations between expressions of difficulty and those of easiness. With respect to denoting ability, I made detailed observations on expressions with auxiliary verbs such as “ahe-zu” or “yara-zu” based on previous studies. I also maintained that expressions of anxiety are derived from those of ability and overviewed the diachronic development of them.

(6 results)