JPN494: Japanese Language and Linguistics JPN543: Advanced Japanese Language and Linguistics

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JPN494 Japanese Language and LinguisticsJPN543
Advanced Japanese Language and Linguistics

• Syntax (4)

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Binding theory

• Binding theory is a component of grammar that
  concerns relationships between pronouns and their
  antecedents (the element that pronouns refer back
  to).
• A tall guy1 came in. He1 ordered a regular
  coffee.
• (a tall guy is an antecedent of he he is bound
  to a tall guy)
• Joe1 devotes himself1 to Japanese literature.
• (Joe is an antecedent of himself himself is
  bound to Joe)

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Binding theory for English

• regular pronouns vs. reflexive pronouns
• Joe1 likes himself1
• Joe1 likes him1
• Joe1 likes him2
• (cf.)
• A Bob doesnt like Joe, Jake doesnt like Joe
  either I guess nobody likes him.
• B Well, at least JOE1 likes him1

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• Joe1 likes him1
• Joe1 likes himself1
• Susan1 was unhappy because Joe criticized her1
• Susan1 was unhappy because Joe criticized
  herself1
• What is the condition under which a regular
  pronoun
• can be used?
• What is the condition under which a reflexive
  pronoun can be
• used?

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• Nobody told Susan1 about her1
• Nobody told Susan1 about herself1
• Joe assigned Susan1 her1 (as a portrait model)
• Joe assigned Susan1 herself1 (as a portrait
  model)
• Susans1 friends like her1
• Susans1 friends like herself1

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Principles A B

• Principle A A reflexive pronoun must be bound by
  an outranking argument of the same predicate.
• Principle B A non-reflexive pronoun may not be
  bound by an outranking argument of the same
  predicate.
• Argument Hierarchy subject gt direct object gt
  indirect object gt PP-complement
• cf. It is himself1 that Joe1 admires most.

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Binding in prepositional phrases

• Nobody told Susan1 about her1
• Nobody told Susan1 about herself1
• They1 talk to them1
• They1 talk to themselves1
• Joe1 put the TV remote down beside him1
• Joe1 put the TV remote down beside himself1
• Joe1 saw snakes around him1
• Joe1 saw snakes around himself1

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Picture noun reflexives

• Joe1 found a picture of him1
• Joe1 found a picture of himself1
• Clinton1 wrote a book about him1
• Clinton1 wrote a book about himself1
• Modified Principle A A reflexive pronoun that
  has an outranking argument must be bound by an
  outranking argument of the same predicate.
• cf. Joe1 ordered a regular coffee. Then,
  he1/him1/himself1 left.
• Joes1 criticism of himself1 vs. Joes1
  criticism of him1

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• Exempt reflexive pronouns are subject to some
  discourse-oriented (viewpoint-related) condition.
• John1 was going to get even with Mary. That
  picture of himself1 in the paper would really
  annoy her, as would the other stunts he played.
• Mary was quite taken aback by the publicity John1
  was receiving. That picture of himself1 in the
  paper had really annoyed her, and there was not
  much she could do about it.

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Does Japanese have a reflexive pronoun?

• the reflexive use of zibun
• ?? (???) ??1 ? ??1 ??? (???) ??.
• Yamada1 criticized himself1
• ?? (???) ??1 ? ??1 ? (????????) ??????????.
• Yamada1 assigned himself1 to Suzuki (as a
  portrait model)

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• Zibun doesnt need to be bound to an
• (outranking) argument of the same verb
• ??1?, ??? ??1/??1 ?????????, ????????.
• Yumi1 was watching TV when Ken visited her1.
• ??1?, ??1/??1 ????????, ?????.
• Yumi1 didnt say anything when she1 was
  criticized.

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• (As a rule) zibun must be bound by a subject
• Yamada helped Suzuki in his room
• ????1 ?????2??1/2????????.
• ????1 ?????2???1/2????????.
• Yamada showed Suzuki the car he designed
• ????1 ?????2? ?1/2??? (????) ?? ?????
• ????1 ?????2? ??1/2????? ?????

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• Zibun does not have to be bound to an outranking
  argument of the same predicate.
• The antecedent of zibun must be a subject.
• Zibun must be structurally commanded by its
  antecedent.
• (Or more briefly Zibun must be bound to a
  structurally commanding
• subject.)
• ??1 ?, ??1 ??? (????) ????, ?????????.
• When she passed the exam, Yumi reported it to
  her parents first.
• ??1 ?, ??1 ???????, ?????????.

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More details on zibun

• Various uses of zibun
• 1 In certain dialects/styles, zibun is used as a
  first or second person pronoun.
• ?????????????
• ?????????

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• 2 Zibun is used in certain idioms
• ??? (???) (he did it) himself
• ???? voluntarily, spontaneously
• 3 Zibun is used as a common noun that means
  self, identity
• ??? (??) ??? (??) a quest for your true self
• ??????? alter ego
• ?????????? (????) ???? Yamada lost his mind

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• 4 Zibun has a contrastive use
• ???????????????????.
• Yamada recommends a Toyota to everyone.
• ??, ???????????????.
• But he himself drives a Ford.

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Perspective-sensitivity of zibun

• (The core use of) zibun has intriguing properties
  related to the viewpoint
• Yamada lost the book that Suzuki lent to him.
• ????1 ? ????? ??1 ?? (?) ?????? ?? (?) ???????.
• ????1 ? ????? ??1 ???????? ?????????.

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• Yamada lost the book that Suzuki/I handed to
• him.
• ????1 ? ????? ??1 ?? (??) ??? ?? (?) ???????.
• ????1 ? ?? ??1 ????? ?????????.

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• The use of zibun indicates that the speaker
  empathizes with its
• referent more than the referents of the sister
  arguments,
• ????1 ? ????? ??1 ?? (?) ?????? ?? (?)
  ???????.
• ????1 ? ????? ??1 ???????? ?????????.
• ????1 ? ????? ??1 ?? (??) ??? ?? (?) ???????.
• ????1 ? ?? ??1 ????? ?????????.

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• A regular pronoun like kare is not subject to
  such a constraint.
• ????1 ? ????? ?1 ?? (?) ?????? ?? (?) ???????.
• ????1 ? ????? ?1 ???????? ?????????.
• ????1 ? ????? ?1 ?? (??) ??? ?? (?) ???????.
• ????1 ? ?? ?1 ????? ?????????.

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• Zibun in its reflexive use is not subject to the
• perspective constraint.
• ????? (????????) ?????????????.
• The use of zibun is sensitive to the speakers
• viewpoint only when it is not bound to an
• outranking argument of the same verb.