Fundamental study on the causes of language change

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K00621
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 02070:Japanese linguistics-related
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: OKI Kazuo 東北大学, 文学研究科, 教授 (00250647)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 言語変化 / 日本語史 / 言語史

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The purpose of this research is to classify and organize the factors of language change, and to build a broad framework.
We consider that the factors that cause language change should be understood as changes made by humans to make the situation more convenient or more efficient before the language change. and we considered [A] efficient use of linguistic symbols and [B] optimization of the speaker's own position in the language by using the language as two major frameworks. The former subcategory includes efficiency of speech effort, efficiency of memory effort, efficiency of transmission, and optimization of expressive effect, while the latter includes optimization of identity and maintenance of linguistic society.

Free Research Field

日本語学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

従来の日本語史研究では言語変化の要因を日本語に即して積極的に検討した研究は多くなく、方言研究などの日本語史研究以外の他分野の知見も含めて総合的に検討を加えるような検討も十分ではない。本研究は、このような基礎的研究・他分野の知見も総合していくという点で特徴的である。また、ここでの研究成果は、現在進みつつある日本語史の理論的な検討をより本格的な軌道に乗せる役割の一端を果たすことになると考えられる。