Abstract
Though Multiple Subject Constructions have long received much attention mainly from syntactic points of view because they show distinctive features of languages like Japanese, a unified treatment which tries to translate MSCs into appropriate semantic representations/logical forms has not been proposed yet. This study presents how logical structures of MSCs are built up in a time-linear parsing perspective. We highlight an important semantic feature of a set of common nouns often called relational nouns which enables the layers of predication to be formed in MSCs. This group of nouns inherently have an extra variable inside, which can be bound by the preceding subjects in MSCs. We argue that subjects are licensed not by argument structures of verbs but by open propositions in Japanese stative sentences, and show that our analysis can account for some asymmetries in extraction constructions, such as relative and cleft constructions.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Asudeh, A.: The Resumptive Puzzle of Relational Nouns. Ms (2003)
Barker, C.: Possessive Descriptions. Center for the Study of Language and Information, Stanford (1995)
Cann, R., Kempson, R., Marten, L.: The Dynamics of Language. Academic Press, Amsterdam (2005)
Diesing, M.: Indefinites. MIT Press, New York (1992)
Engdahl, E.: Relational Interpretation. In: Kempson, R. (ed.) Metal Representation: The Interface between Language and Reality, pp. 63–82. Cambridge University Press, London (1988)
Hasegawa, N.: Seisei-Nihongogaku Nyuumon. Taisyuukan, Tokyo (1999)
Jacobson, P.: Towards a Variable-Free Semantics. Linguistics and Philosophy 22, 117–184 (1999)
Jacobson, P.: Paycheck Pronouns, Bach-Peters Sentences, and Variable-free Semantics. Natural Language Semantics 8, 77–155 (2000)
Kempson, R.: Japanese Scrambling as Growth of Semantic Representation. King’s College, London (manuscript, 2003)
Kempson, R., Cann, R., Kiaer, J.: Topic, Focus and the Structural Dynamics of Language. Ms. King’s College, London (2003)
Kempson, R., Meyer-Viol, W.: Indefinites and Scope Choice. In: Reimer, M., Bezuidenhout, A. (eds.) Descriptions and Beyond, pp. 553–583. Oxford U.P., London (2004)
Kempson, R., Meyer-Viol, W., Gabbay, D.: Dynamic Syntax: The Flow of Language Understanding. Blackwell, London (2001)
Kuno, S.: The Structure of the Japanese Language. MIT Press, Cambridge (1973)
Mihara, K.: Nihongo-no Tougo-Kouzou: Seisei-bunpou Riron-to Sono Ouyou. Syoohaku-sya, Tokyo (1994)
Morikawa, M.: A Parametric Approach to Case Alternation Phenomena in Japanese. Hituzi Syobo (1993)
Nakamura, H.: Tajuusyugo-koobun-no Hasei-to Kaisyaku, Nihongo-kagaku 12, 72–94, Kokuritsu-Kokugo Kenkyusyo, Tokyo (2002)
Partee, B., Borschev, B.: Genitives, Relational Nouns, and the Argument-Modifier Distinction. In: Fabricius-Hansen, C., Lang, E., Maienborn, C. (eds.) ZAS Papers in Linguistics, vol. 17, pp. 177–201 (2000)
Sperber, D., Wilson, D.: Relevance: communication and Cognition, 2nd edn. Blackwell, Oxford (1986/1995)
Sugimoto, T.: Nihon-go no Daisyugo to Syudai. Kyusyu Daigaku Kougakubu Kiyou 3, 165–182 (1990)
Vikner, C., Jensen, P.A.: A Semantic Analysis of the English Genitive. Interaction of Lexical and Formal Semantics. Ms. Copenhagen (1999)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2009 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this paper
Cite this paper
Nakamura, H., Yoshimoto, K., Mori, Y., Kobayashi, M. (2009). Multiple Subject Constructions in Japanese: A Dynamic Syntax Account. In: Hattori, H., Kawamura, T., Idé, T., Yokoo, M., Murakami, Y. (eds) New Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence. JSAI 2008. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 5447. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-00609-8_11
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-00609-8_11
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-642-00608-1
Online ISBN: 978-3-642-00609-8
eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)