aspect and argument structure in japanese

488 Pages·2011·4.27 MB·English

ASPECT
AND
ARGUMENT STRUCTURE
IN JAPANESE

A Thesis submitted to the University of Manchester
for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy
in the Faculty of Arts

September 2000

Chiaki Taoka

Department of Linguistics
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE ….…………………………………………………………………… 1
TABLE OF CONTENTS ………………………………………………… 2
ABSTRACT …. ……………………………………………………………. 10
DECLARATION…………………………………………………………… 11
COPYRIGHT…..……………………………………………………………. 12
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ………………………………………………… 13
ABBREVIATIONS …………………………………………………………. 14

1. Introduction .…………………………………………………………….. 16
1.1. Verbal semantic structure ……………………………………………. 16
1.2. Argument linking ……………………………………………………. 16
1.3. Aims of the thesis …………………………………………………… 20
2. Theories of argument linking ……………………………………………... 24
2.1. Introduction …………………………………………………………. 24
2.2. Literature on Japanese verbs of putting and removing ……………… 27
2.3. Croft’s causal analysis (1991, 1993, 1994ab, 1998a) ………………. 35
2.3.1. Event structure ………………………………………………… 36
2.3.2. The verbal profile………………………………………………. 41
2.3.2.1. Spray/load alternation……………………………………. 41
2.3.2.2. The caused-motion construction …………………………. 43
2.3.3. Summary ……………………………………………………… 43
3. Aspect in Japanese ……………………………………………………… 45
3.1.Representational model of aspect and aspectual types ………………. 45
3.1.1. Aspectual classes of Vendler (1967) ………………………….. 45
3.1.2. Croft’s (2000) basic aspectual representation model…………… 47
3.1.2.1. Basic notations and concepts …………………………… 47
3.1.2.2. Aspectual types of events ………………………………. 51
3.1.2.2.1.States ………………………………………………. 51
3.1.2.2.1.1. Point states …………………………………… 51
3.1.2.2.1.2. Inherent states ………………………………. 52
3.1.2.2.1.3. Transitory states ………………………………. 54
3.1.2.2.2. Activities (unbounded processes) ………………….. 55
3.1.2.2.3. Achievements (punctual bounded processes) ……… 57
3.1.2.2.3.1.Cyclic achievements …………………………… 57
3.1.2.2.3.2. Reversible directed achievements………………58
3.1.2.2.3.3. Irreversible directed achievements ……………. 59
3.1.2.2.4. Accomplishments (extended bounded processes) ….. 59
3.1.2.2.5. Runup achievements ………………………………. 63
3.1.3. Summary of the aspectual types ……………………………….. 65
3.2. Analysis of Japanese TA constructions and aspectual classes ………..66
3.2.1. Basic background for analysis …………………………. 67
3.2.2. Criteria …………………………………………………. 69
3.2.3. Analysis ………………………………………………… 71
3.2.3.1. The Present construction …………………………. 71
3.2.3.2. The Te-iru Construction ………………………….. 75
3.2.3.2.1. On te-iru ……………………………………. 75
3.2.3.2.2. Senses of the Te-iru construction ………….. 80
3.2.3.3. The Past construction …………………………….. 90
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3.2.3.4. Summary …………………………………………. 98
3.3. Summary ……………………………………………………………. 104
4. Analysis and method ………………………………………………………. 105
4.1. Incremental theme/verbal scale and the argument linking ………….. 105
4.2. The Integration of aspect and causal structure—
Croft’s (2000) new version …………………………………… 111
4.2.1. Notation ………………………………………………………… 111
4.2.2. Verbal scale and related principles …………………………….. 115
4.2.2.1. Verbal scale and holistic theme ……………………………116
4.2.2.2. Governing principles …………………………………….. 116
4.2.3. More examples with path ………………………………………. 117
4.2.3.1. Verbs of motion ………………………………………….. 117
4.2.3.2. Spray/load verbs …………………………………………. 121
4.2.4. Summary ……………………………………………………….. 124
4.3. Methodology—data collection and analysis …………………………. 125
4.3.1. Selection ………………………………………………………... 125
4.3.2. Searching for translation ……………………………………….. 126
4.3.3. Confirming and screening ……………………………………… 128
4.3.4. Looking for more members ……………………………………. 129
4.3.5. Investigating syntactic behaviours and patterns ……………….. 129
4.3.6. Subcategorising into smaller semantic classes ………………… 130
4.4. Basic information on Japanese grammar ……………………………. 130
4.4.1. Particles and antecedent/subsequent obliques ………………….. 130
4.4.1.1. Subject and object markers ………………………………. 131
4.4.1.2. Oblique case markers …………………………………… 132
4.4.1.2.1. Ni ………………………………………………….. 132
4.4.1.2.2. E …………………………………………………... 137
4.4.1.2.3. Made ………………………………………………. 138
4.4.1.2.4 Kara …………………………………………………. 138
4.4.1.2.5. Yori ………………………………………………….. 139
4.4.1.2.6. De ………………………………………………….. 139
4.4.1.2.7. To ………………………………………………….. 140
4.4.1.3. Summary …………………………………………………. 142
4.4.2. Optional arguments—DNI vs FNI ………………………………143
4.4.3. On path argument ………………………………………………. 145
4.4.4. Type of verbs ………………………………………………….. 147
4.4.4.1. Compound verbs …………………………………………. 147
4.4.4.1.1. Pair compounds ……………………………………. 148
4.4.4.1.2. Means compounds ………………………………….. 149
4.4.4.1.3. Compounds with semantically deverbalized V2 …… 150
4.4.4.1.4. Compounds with semantically deverbalized V1 …….151
4.4.4.1.5. Frozen compounds …………………………………. 151
4.4.4.2. VN-suru verbs ………………………………………….. 152
4.5. Summary …………………………………………………………….. 153
5. Verbs of putting ………………………………………………………….. 154
5.1. Introduction …………………………………………………………. 154
5.2. Basic linking patterns ………………………………………………… 154
5.3. Analysis …………………………………………………………….. 156
5.4. Classification ………………………………………………………….157
5.4.1. Type 1 Oku ‘put’ verbs ………………………………………….157
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5.4.1.1. Members ………………………………………………….. 157
5.4.1.2. Semantics …………………………………………………. 157
5.4.1.3. Syntactic patterns …………………………………………. 158
5.4.1.4. Causal and aspectual patterns …………………………….. 159
5.4.1.5. Semantic representations …………………………………. 161
5.4.2. Type 2 Ireru ‘put into’ verbs:
spatial caused-transfer verbs with a specified direction……. 162
5.4.2.1. Members ………………………………………………….. 162
5.4.2.2. Semantics …………………………………………………. 162
5.4.2.3. Syntactic patterns …………………………………………. 162
5.4.2.4. Causal and aspectual patterns ……………………………. 165
5.4.2.5. Semantic representations…………………………………. 168
5.4.3. Type 3 Hitasu ‘soak’ verbs …………………………………….. 170
5.4.3.1. Members …………………………………………………. 170
5.4.3.2. Semantics …………………………………………………. 170
5.4.3.3. Syntactic patterns …………………………………………. 171
5.4.3.4. Causal and aspectual patterns ……………………………. 171
5.4.3.5. Semantic representations ………………………………… 173
5.4.4. Type 4 Sosogu ‘pour into’ verbs ………………………………. 173
5.4.4.1. Members ………………………………………………… 173
5.4.4.2. Semantics …………………………………………………. 173
5.4.4.3. Syntactic patterns ………………………………………… 174
5.4.4.4. Causal and aspectual patterns ……………………………. 175
5.4.4.5. Semantic representations………………………………….. 176
5.4.5. Type 5 Kabuseru ‘put on’ verbs ……………………………….. 177
5.4.5.1. Members …………………………………………………. 177
5.4.5.2. Semantics …………………………………………………. 177
5.4.5.3. Syntactic patterns ……………………………………….. 177
5.4.5.4. Causal and aspectual patterns …………………………… 178
5.4.5.5. Semantic representations ………………………………… 179
5.4.6. Type 6 Maku ‘scatter’ verbs: verbs of applying and scattering …180
5.4.6.1. Members …………………………………………………. 180
5.4.6.2. Semantics …………………………………………………. 180
5.4.6.3. Syntactic patterns …………………………………………. 180
5.4.6.4. Causal and aspectual patterns ……………………………. 181
5.4.6.5. Semantic representations …………………………………. 182
5.4.6.6. Digression on pair compounds …………………………….185
5.4.7. Type 7 Tsurusu ‘hang’ verbs:
verbs of putting in a spatial configuration ……………………. 189
5.4.7.1. Members …………………………………………………. 189
5.4.7.2. Semantics …………………………………………………. 189
5.4.7.3. Syntactic patterns …………………………………………. 190
5.4.7.4. Causal and aspectual patterns ……………………………. 191
5.4.7.5. Semantic representations …………………………………. 192
5.4.8. Type 8 Tsumu ‘load’ verbs ………………………………………193
5.4.8.1. Members …………………………………………………. 193
5.4.8.2. Semantics …………………………………………………. 193
5.4.8.3. Syntactic patterns …………………………………………. 194
5.4.8.4. Causal and aspectual patterns ……………………………. 194
5.4.8.5. Semantic representations ………………………………… 195
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5.4.9. Type 9 Oou 'cover' verbs ……………………………………….. 197
5.4.9.1. Members ………………………………………………….. 197
5.4.9.2. Semantics …………………………………………………. 197
5.4.9.3. Syntactic patterns …………………………………………. 197
5.4.9.4. Causal and aspectual patterns ……………………………. 199
5.4.9.5. Semantic representations …………………………………. 200
5.4.10. Type 10 Yogosu ‘dirty’ verbs …………………………………..202
5.4.10.1. Members ………………………………………………….202
5.4.10.2. Semantics ……………………………………………….. 202
5.4.10.3. Syntactic patterns ………………………………………. 203
5.4.10.4. Causal and aspectual patterns …………………………… 203
5.4.10.5. Semantic representations ………………………………. 205
5.4.11. Type 11 Kazaru ‘decorate’ verbs: verbs of locative alternation..206
5.4.11.1. Members ………………………………………………… 206
5.4.11.2. Semantics ……………………………………………….. 206
5.4.11.3. Syntactic patterns ……………………………………….. 206
5.4.11.4. Causal and aspectual patterns ………………………….. 207
5.4.11.4.1. Kazaru ‘decorate’ …………………………. 207
5.4.11.4.2. Nuru ‘smear/paint’ …………………………. 210
5.4.11.4.3. Tsumeru ‘pack/cram’ ………………………..212
5.4.11.4.4. Mitasu ‘fill’ ………………………………….214
5.4.11.5. Semantic representations ……………………………….. 215
5.4.12. Type 12 Tsutsumu ‘wrap’ verb ………………………………..220
5.4.12.1. Members ……………………………………………… 220
5.4.12.2. Semantics ……………………………………………….. 220
5.4.12.3. Syntactic patterns ………………………………………. 220
5.4.12.4. Causal and aspectual patterns …………………………… 223
5.4.12.5. Semantic representations ……………………………….. 224
5.4.13. Type 13 Hou.boku-suru ‘graze’ verbs: ground incorporation …226
5.4.13.1. Members ………………………………………………… 226
5.4.13.2. Semantics ……………………………………………….. 226
5.4.13.3. Syntactic patterns ………………………………………. 226
5.4.13.4. Causal and aspectual patterns …………………………… 227
5.4.13.5. Semantic representations ………………………………...227
5.4.14. Type 14 San.sui-suru ‘sprinkle.water-do’ verbs:
figure incorporation 1 ………………………………228
5.4.14.1. Members ………………………………………………… 228
5.4.14.2. Semantics ……………………………………………… 229
5.4.14.3. Syntactic patterns ……………………………………… 229
5.4.14.4. Causal and aspectual patterns …………………………… 230
5.4.14.5. Semantic representations ……………………………….. 231
5.4.15. Type 15 Shoku.rin-suru ‘afforest’ verbs:
figure incorporation 2 ……………………………… 232
5.4.15.1. Members ………………………………………………… 232
5.4.15.2. Semantics ………………………………………………. 232
5.4.15.3. Syntactic patterns ………………………………………. 232
5.4.15.4. Causal and aspectual patterns ………………………….. 233
5.4.15.5. Semantic representations ……………………………….. 234
5.4.16. Type 16 Hame-komu ‘fit.into-put.into’ verbs:
means compound 1 with specified direction ………. 236
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5.4.16.1. Members ………………………………………………… 236
5.4.16.2. Semantics ……………………………………………….. 236
5.4.16.3. Syntactic patterns ………………………………………. 237
5.4.16.4. Causal and aspectual patterns …………………………… 238
5.4.16.5. Semantic representations ………………………………. 238
5.4.16.5.1. Middle compounds:
Hame-komu ‘fit.into-put.into’ ……………….239
5.4.16.5.2. Pure means compounds …………………………244
5.4.16.5.2.1. Oshi-komu ‘push-put.into’ …………… 244
5.4.16.5.2.2. Tataki-komu ‘hit-put.into’ ……………. 247
5.4.17. Type 17 Nuri-tsukeru ‘smear-apply’ verbs:
means compound 2 ……………………………. 250
5.4.17.1. Members ………………………………………………… 250
5.4.17.2. Semantics ………………………………………………. 251
5.4.17.3. Syntactic patterns ……………………………………….. 251
5.4.17.4. Causal and aspectual patterns …………………………… 252
5.4.17.5. Semantic representations ……………………………….. 252
5.5.17.5.1. Middle compounds:
Nuri-tsukeru ‘smear-apply’ .…………………253
5.4.17.5.2. Pure means compounds:
Nui-tsukeru ‘sew-attach’ .……………………255
5.4.18. Type 18 Ooi-kakusu ‘cover-hide’ verbs: means compound 3 …258
5.4.18.1. Members ………………………………………………… 258
5.4.18.2. Semantics ……………………………………………….. 258
5.4.18.3. Syntactic patterns ……………………………………….. 259
5.4.18.4. Causal and aspectual patterns …………………………… 259
5.4.18.5. Semantic representations ……………………………….. 260
5.5. Digression on compounds ……………………………………………. 262
5.6. Summary ……………………………………………………………... 266
5.6.1. Locative alternation …………………………………………….. 267
5.6.2. Semantic structures of each argument linking construction …….268
5.6.2.1. L-linking construction …………………………………… 269
5.6.2.2. I-linking construction …………………………………….. 270
5.6.2.3. FA-linking construction ……………………………………271
5.6.2.4. GA-linking construction …………………………………. 272
5.6.2.5. GO-linking construction ………………………………….. 273
5.6.3. Comparison with English ………………………………………. 273
6. Verbs of removing …………………………………………………………276
6.1. Introduction ………………………………………………………….. 276
6.2. Basic linking patterns ………………………………………………… 276
6.3. Japanese Genitive no and the semantic relation
between figure and ground ………………………………………. 278
6.4. Classification ………………………………………………………….281
6.4.1. Type 1 Tori-nozoku ‘remove’ verbs ……………………………. 281
6.4.1.1. Members …………………………………………………. 281
6.4.1.2. Semantics ………………………………………………… 281
6.4.1.3. Syntactic patterns ………………………………………… 282
6.4.1.4. Causal and aspectual patterns …………………………… 283
6.4.1.5. Semantic representations …………………………………. 284
6.4.2. Type 2 Dasu ‘take out’ verbs:
6
spatial caused-transfer verbs with a specified direction ……… 287
6.4.2.1. Members …………………………………………………. 287
6.4.2.2. Semantics ………………………………………………… 287
6.4.2.3. Syntactic patterns …………………………………………. 287
6.4.2.4. Causal and aspectual patterns …………………………… 289
6.4.2.5. Semantic representations …………………………………. 290
6.4.3. Type 3 Katazukeru ‘clear’ verb ………………………………… 292
6.4.3.1. Member ………………………………………………….. 292
6.4.3.2. Semantics …………………………………………………. 292
6.4.3.3. Syntactic patterns …………………………………………. 292
6.4.3.4. Causal and aspectual patterns ……………………………. 293
6.4.3.5. Semantic representations …………………………………. 294
6.4.4. Type 4 Haku ‘sweep’ verbs ……………………………………. 295
6.4.4.1. Members ………………………………………………….. 295
6.4.4.2. Semantics …………………………………………………. 295
6.4.4.3. Syntactic patterns …………………………………………. 296
6.4.4.4. Causal and aspectual patterns …………………………….. 296
6.4.4.5. Semantic representations …………………………………. 298
6.4.5. Type 5 Muku ‘peel’ verbs ………………………………………300
6.4.5.1. Members ………………………………………………….. 300
6.4.5.2. Semantics …………………………………………………. 300
6.4.5.3. Syntactic patterns …………………………………………. 300
6.3.5.4. Causal and aspectual patterns ……………………………. 302
6.4.5.5. Semantic representations …………………………………..303
6.4.6. Type 6 Hagasu ‘peel’ verbs …………………………………….305
6.4.6.1. Members ………………………………………………….. 305
6.4.6.2. Semantics …………………………………………………. 305
6.4.6.3. Syntactic patterns …………………………………………. 305
6.4.6.4. Causal and aspectual patterns …………………………….. 306
6.4.6.5. Semantic representations …………………………………..307
6.4.7. Type 7 Arau ‘wash’ verbs ……………………………………… 308
6.4.7.1. Members ………………………………………………….. 308
6.4.7.2. Semantics …………………………………………………. 308
6.4.7.3. Syntactic patterns …………………………………………. 309
6.4.7.4. Causal and aspectual patterns …………………………….. 310
6.4.7.5. Syntactic representations …………………………………. 312
6.4.8. Type 8 Nusumu ‘steal’ verbs …………………………………… 315
6.4.8.1. Members ………………………………………………….. 315
6.4.8.2. Semantics …………………………………………………. 315
6.4.8.3. Syntactic patterns …………………………………………. 316
6.4.8.4. Causal and aspectual patterns ……………………………. 317
6.4.8.5. Semantic representations …………………………………. 318
6.4.9. Type 9 Tsui.hou-suru ‘expel’ verbs ……………………………..321
6.4.9.1. Members ………………………………………………….. 321
6.4.9.2. Semantics …………………………………………………. 321
6.4.9.3. Syntactic patterns …………………………………………. 321
6.4.9.4. Causal and aspectual patterns …………………………….. 323
6.4.9.5. Semantic representations …………………………………. 324
6.4.10. Type 10 Ha.mon-suru ‘excommunicate’ verbs ……………….. 324
6.4.10.1. Members ………………………………………………… 324
7
6.4.10.2. Semantics ……………………………………………….. 325
6.4.10.3. Syntactic patterns ……………………………………….. 325
6.4.10.4. Causal and aspectual patterns …………………………….326
6.4.10.5. Semantic representations ……………………………….. 327
6.4.11. Type 11 Kai.hou-suru ‘liberate’ verbs ……………………….. 327
6.4.11.1. Members ………………………………………………… 327
6.4.11.2. Semantics ………………………………………………. 327
6.4.11.3. Syntactic patterns ……………………………………….. 328
6.4.11.4. Causal and aspectual patterns …………………………… 328
6.4.11.5. Semantic representations …………………………………331
6.4.12. Type 12 Toku ‘relieve’ verbs …………………………………..331
6.4.12.1. Members ………………………………………………… 331
6.4.12.2. Semantics ……………………………………………….. 332
6.4.12.3. Syntactic patterns ……………………………………….. 332
6.4.12.4. Causal and aspectual patterns ………………………….. 333
6.4.12.5. Semantic representations ……………………………….. 338
6.4.13. Type 13 Kai.nin-suru ‘dismiss’ verbs ………………………… 339
6.4.13.1. Members ………………………………………………… 339
6.4.13.2. Semantics ……………………………………………….. 339
6.4.13.3. Syntactic patterns ……………………………………….. 339
6.4.13.4. Causal and aspectual patterns …………………………… 340
6.4.13.5. Semantic representations………………………………… 342
6.4.14. Type 14 Sen.patsu-suru ‘wash hair’ verbs:
ground incorporation ……………………………… 343
6.4.14.1. Members ………………………………………………… 343
6.4.14.2. Semantics ……………………………………………….. 343
6.4.14.3. Syntactic patterns ………………………………………. 344
6.4.14.4. Causal and aspectual patterns …………………………… 344
6.4.14.5. Semantic representations ………………………………. 345
6.4.15. Type 15 Hai.sui-suru ‘drain water’ verbs
figure incorporation 1 ……………………………. 346
6.4.15.1. Members ………………………………………………… 346
6.4.15.2. Semantics ………………………………………………. 346
6.4.15.3. Syntactic patterns ……………………………………….. 347
6.4.15.4. Causal and aspectual patterns …………………………… 348
6.4.15.5. Semantic representations ………………………………. 349
6.4.16. Type 16 Jo.setsu-suru ‘clear of snow’ verbs:
figure incorporation 2 …………………………….. 349
6.4.16.1. Members ………………………………………………… 349
6.4.16.2. Semantics ……………………………………………….. 349
6.4.16.3. Syntactic patterns ……………………………………….. 350
6.4.16.4. Causal and aspectual patterns …………………………… 351
6.4.16.5. Semantic representations ……………………………… 352
6.4.17. Type 17 Nuki-dasu ‘pull.out-take.out’ verbs:
means compound 1 with specified direction ………. 354
6.4.17.1. Members ………………………………………………… 354
6.4.17.2. Semantics ……………………………………………….. 354
6.4.17.3. Syntactic patterns ……………………………………….. 355
6.4.17.4. Causal and aspectual patterns …………………………… 356
6.4.17.5. Semantic representations ……………………………….. 357
8
6.4.17.5.1. Middle compounds:
Nuki-dasu ‘pull.out-take.out’ ……………….. 357
6.3.17.5.2. Pure means compounds ……………………….. 359
6.3.17.5.2.1. Mochi-dasu ‘take-take.out’……………….. 359
6.4.17.5.2.2. Shime-dasu ‘shut-take.out’ ………………. 362
6.4.18. Type 18 Arai-otosu ‘wash-remove’ verbs:
means compound 2 ……………………………….. 365
6.4.18.1. Members ………………………………………………… 365
6.4.18.2. Semantics ………………………………………………. 365
6.4.18.3. Syntactic patterns ……………………………………….. 366
6.4.18.4. Cauasl and aspectual patterns …………………………… 366
6.4.18.5. Semantic representations ……………………………….. 366
6.4.18.5.1. middle compounds: Nusumi-toru ‘steal-take’ …. 367
6.4.18.5.2. Pure means compounds …………………………369
6.4.18.5.2.1. Sori-otosu ‘shave-remove’……………….. 369
6.4.18.5.2.2. Arai-otoru ‘wash-remove’ and
damashi-toru ‘deceive-take’ …………… 371
6.4.19. Type 19 Haki-kiyomeru ‘sweep-cleanse’: means compound 3 .. 376
6.4.19.1. Members ………………………………………………… 376
6.4.19.2. Semantics ………………………………………………. 376
6.4.19.3. Syntactic patterns ……………………………………….. 376
6.4.19.4. Causal and aspectual patterns ………………………….. 377
6.4.19.5. Semantic representations ………………………………. 377
6.4.20. Other verb type ………………………………………………. 380
6.5. Summary …………………………………………………………….. 381
6.5.1. Semantic structures of each argument linking construction …… 382
6.5.1.1. A-linking construction …………………………………… 382
6.5.2.2. G-linking construction …………………………………… 383
6.5.1.3. RA-linking construction ………………………………….. 385
6.5.1.4. FA-linking construction ………………………………….. 386
6.5.1.5. GA-linking construction …………………………………. 387
6.5.2. Differences between English and Japanese ……………………….. 388
6.5.3. Asymmetries between verbs of putting and removing
found in Japanese ………………………………………….. 388
7. Conclusion ………………………………………………………………….398

REFERENCES ………………………………………………………………. 403

APPENDIX A Senses of the constructions and situation types ………….. 410
APPENDIX B Levin’s classification of verbs of putting ………………….. 444
APPENDIX C List of classes of verbs of putting in Japanese ……………. 447
APPENDIX D List of verbs of putting in Japanese ………………………. 450
APPENDIX E Levin’s classification of verbs of removing ………………. 464
APPENDIX F List of classes of verbs of removing in Japanese ………….. 468
APPENDIX G List of verbs of removing in Japanese …………………….. 472
APPENDIX H List of classes of verbs of putting and
removing in Japanese…………………………… 484

9
ABSTRACT

Aspect, described by Comrie (1976: 3) as the ‘temporal structure of events’, and
argument structure are two important facets of verbal semantics. Individual verbs, in
linguistic expressions, always occur with a certain tense-aspect (TA) construction
such as the Present and the Present Progressive and with a certain argument linking
construction such as the Transitive construction and the Resultative construction.
Verbal lexical semantics combined with these constructions determine the
grammaticality and acceptability of, and the interpretative sense of, a predicate phrase
as a whole. Therefore, aspect and the argument structure of verbs are fundamental
information every speaker has to know in using a certain language.
Croft (2000) represents aspect as a two dimensional model, which has a time scale
and a qualitative scale. Argument structure is derived directly from the causal
structure where the force-dynamic relationship between participants in event
determines the order of participants according to Croft (1990, 1991, 1993, 1994ab,
1995ab, 1998a, 1999a). These are ranked in the causal order and mapped into
syntactic arguments via the linking rules.
These two dimensions of verbal semantics, which are independent but related, are
represented in the causal-aspectual model (Croft 2000), which combines the two
dimensional representation of aspect and of the force dynamic causal structure of
events.
The main purpose of this thesis is to apply the causal-aspectual representation of
verbal semantics proposed by Croft (2000) to Japanese predicates. First of all, the
aspectual dimension of Japanese predicates is focused on. I analyze forty-eight
situation types of Japanese predicates in terms of their behaviour in relation to three
constructions: the Present, the Te-iru, and the Past constructions. Through an
examination of the situation types that occur in these constructions, the Present is
revealed to have four senses, the Te-iru to have eight senses, and the Past to have eight
senses.
Secondly, I focus on both the causal and aspectual structures and analyse verbs of
putting and removing in terms of the causal-aspectual model for two reasons. Firstly,
these two classes of verbs are important because they refer to situation of motion and
location which are within the essential experience of human beings. Secondly, since
causal structures with these two classes of verbs have three arguments (agent, figure,
and ground), they are more complicated than the structures involved in verbs that
denote non-causal relations or that involve only two participants. The verbs are
subcategorised mainly according to the linking constructions. Various occurrences of
verbs with the constructions are examined and their semantic structures are
represented in the causal-aspectual model. A semantic structure for each construction
is also proposed.
Finally, systematic differences between English and Japanese verbs of putting and
removing are observed and syntactic asymmetries between the two verb classes are
explained in terms of the differences between the semantic natures of the events that
they denote.
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