A New Historical Point of View on Vocabulary of Chinese Origin: the intermediate field between phonology and lexicology

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K13207
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 02070:Japanese linguistics-related
• Research Institution: International Pacific University
• Principal Investigator: LU Jianhui 環太平洋大学, 経営学部, 講師 (20803737)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 音韻論 / 形態論 / 語彙・意味 / 日本語史

Outline of Final Research Achievements

It is considered that Rendaku is a common phonological phenomenon of vocabulary of Japanese origin. However, we can find some cases of Rendaku also in vocabulary of Chinese origin. In this research, we try to find the rules of those Rendaku words of Chinese origin by their historical transitions. For example, BUNKO-BON(a pocket sized book) seems to be composited by BUNKO(a library) and Rendaku form of HON(a book). In this research, we find that BON is the only available form when following a noun. Besides, we also find a similar case from SAN, the non-Rendaku form of SAN(a mountain), which is available only when following a noun, such as FUJI-SAN(Mt. Fuji).
Therefore, we can say that some Rendaku forms and non-Rendaku forms have become lexical morphemes nowadays, although Rendaku has been being a phonological phenomenon in history.

Free Research Field

人文学（言語学、日本語学）

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

「連濁」は日本語によく見られる音韻現象である。しかし、連濁はどんなときに起こり、どんなときに起こらないかの規則は未だに解明されていない。本研究で史的研究という視点から、漢語の語彙を対象に連濁規則をある程度明らかにすることができた。特に、これまで音韻現象の一つとされている連濁は、現代語においては語彙として定着したものがあることが明らかになった。今後の連濁研究は、音韻論だけでなく語彙論からのアプローチの可能性も考えられるだろう。
本研究の研究成果は、日本語学基礎研究に寄与するほか、外国人向けの日本語教育、辞書の編纂、自然言語処理等の分野にも大いに貢献するものと思われる。