英文摘要 |
This study aims to explore the grammaticalization of Japanese motion verb kuru through diachronic analysis thus to clarify the process of its grammatical changes. Despite that growing concerns have been voiced regarding the grammaticalization of Japanese, the predominant research were conducted notably via synchronic frameworks (or restricted to a specific period) using general linguistic theories, while little has been done with regard to the diachronic process of the semantic changes. Instead of a simple phenomenon that is elucidated merely by synchronic research, grammaticalization is a complicated process in which many factors interplay. Therefore, it may be defined as the result of a process that requires one to scrutinize diachronic language data carefully. Nevertheless, research in this field has been regarded as theory-oriented with insufficient evidence resulted from diachronic language data. Based on Heine's (2003) viewpoints, the author examined the detailed diachronic data in terms of desemanticization, and further clarified the process of the semantic-functional as well as morphological change of Japanese kuru. |