Studies on expressions of motion in space in east African languages

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24520490
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Linguistics
• Research Institution: 防衛大学校(総合教育学群、人文社会科学群、応用科学群、電気情報学群及びシステム工学群)
• Principal Investigator: KAWACHI Kazuhiro 防衛大学校(総合教育学群、人文社会科学群、応用科学群、電気情報学群及びシステム工, その他部局等, 准教授 (00530891)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 言語学 / 言語類型論 / 記述言語学 / 意味論 / 形態論 / 統語論 / アフリカ言語学 / 移動表現

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The present study examined motion expression data in two typologically different languages in East Africa, Kupsapiny (Southern Nilotic, Uganda) and Sidaama (Highland-East Cushitic, Ethiopia), in particular, that I collected by means of field work. It found that motion events that are treated as macro-events differ across the languages. In either language, events expressable in single clauses are somewhat restricted, and each language does not necessarily exhibit its characteristic, typological pattern across different types of motion events. Conceivable factors to this include combinations of motion components, particularly path components expressable in specific constructions.

Free Research Field

言語学