Contrastive Research on the Mechanisms of Word-formation and Phonological Structures in English and Japanese

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24520545
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: English linguistics
• Research Institution: Yamaguchi University
• Principal Investigator: OHTA Satoshi 山口大学, 人文学部, 教授 (40194162)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 複合語 / 連濁 / アクセント / 略語 / 混成語 / 派生語

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this research, I have discussed word-formation mechanisms in English and Japanese focusing on sound changes and accent shift. Topics that have been dealt with include i) the apparently irregular accent patterns of compound words, ii) the interrelationship between accent and rendaku (sequential voicing) in Japanese compounds, iii) principles for forming clipped words, iv) accent shift caused by several kinds of derivational suffixes, v) conditions on forming phonologically longer blends than usual. For clipped-word formation and blend formation, I have pointed out the principles common to English and Japanese. For accentuation and rendaku phenomena in compounds, I have gone into considerable detail statistically, and have clarified some aspects which were vague in previous studies. Moreover, for derivation, through the examination of noun-forming suffixes especially, I have proposed a new organization of the so-called mental lexicon.

Free Research Field

日英語比較音韻論・形態論