Basic research on grammaticalization and the construction of semantic maps

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24520450
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Linguistics
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: Narrog Heiko 東北大学, 国際文化研究科, 教授 (40301923)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): NAKAMOTO TAKESHI 東北大学, 国際文化研究科, 准教授 (10292492) ; ONO NAOYUKI 東北大学, 国際文化研究科, 教授 (50214185)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): SANADA HARUKO 立正大学, 経済学部, 教授 (90406611)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 意味論 / 格 / モダリティ

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The goal of this research project was to build semantic maps of specific grammatical categories, especially “case”. Semantic maps two-dimensionally represent semantic and functional similarities that can be extracted from the polysemy of linguistic forms from various languages. We accomplished the goal of building a semantic map of the case area, furthermore accomplishing a second goal, namely to give a diachronic dimension to this map. Our diachronic research was based on the concept of grammaticalization. We furthermore showed that semantic change accompanying grammaticalization always proceeds in the direction of increased speech-act orientation.

Free Research Field

言語学