Competition in Langauge: New Proposals on the Relationship between Morphology and Syntax

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26884008
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: English linguistics
• Research Institution: University of Tsukuba
• Principal Investigator: Nishimaki Kazuya 筑波大学, グローバルコミュニケーション教育センター, 特任研究員 (10734189)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-08-29 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 形態論と統語論の競合 / 言語の普遍性と多様性 / パラメーター / 具現形式 / 言語間比較

Outline of Final Research Achievements

As an approach to cross-linguistic variations, Ackema　and　Neeleman　(2004)　propose　Competition　Theory.　This study is cross-linguistic　compariosn based on Competition Theiry, foucsing on English and Japanese.　Its core assumption is that morphology and syntax compete for structural realization.　　On this assumption, languages are divided into morphology-preferring and syntax-preferring languages, depending on whether morphological or syntactic realization is preferred in a given language. Assuming that English and Japanese exemplify syntax-preferring and morphology-preferring languages, this study has showed that English-Japanese contrasts that have been sprerately discussed in the literature can be given a unified account as resulting from the distinction between syntax-preferring and morphology-preferring languages.

Free Research Field

形態論・語形成