TEMPORAL PROPERTIES IN JAPANESE (TENSE, CONDITIONALS).
type: CreativeWork
description: This dissertation is concerned with the relationship between morphological tense forms of Japanese, such as (r)u ("non-past") and ta ("past"), and their temporal interpretation. The goal of the research reported here is to establish a simple overall theory. The analysis focuses on the following sentence types: simple sentences, complex sentences (without conditional sentences), conditional complex sentences and sentences with an embedded clause. We will show here a few examples of problems as to temporal interpretations. In simple sentences, there are cases such as (1), which deviate from the norm of "normal" interpretation. Sentence (1) (with the “past” form of ta) can be uttered felicitously even in a situation where the bus in question has not yet arrived. (1)Busu ga ki-ta! Bus nom come-ta ‘The bus is coming.’ Or ‘The bus has come.’ In complex sentences, the antecedent clause in sentences with toki 'when', can take either (r)u or ta forms in sentence (2), while it cannot take the ta form in sentence 93), although the antecedent clauses in both sentences are interpreted as non-past. (2) Kondo a-u/at-ta toki, hanashi-ma-su. Next-time see-(r)u/see-ta toki talk-polite-(r)u ‘Next time when (I) see (you), (I) will tell (it to you).’ (3)Yuushoku o su-ru/*shi-ta toki, biiru o nom-u. supper acc do-(r)u/do-ta toki beer acc drink-(r)u ‘When (I) take supper, (I) will drink beer.’ In regard to conditional complex sentences, there can be a problem interpreting ta, as in hypothetical sentence (4) below. The ta of the consequent clause in example (4) cannot be evaluated (interpreted) as being the same as the ta in example (5) where we have an indicative sentence. (4) Taroo wa benkyoo shi-ta ra, shaken ni pasu shi-ta (no ni). Taro top study do-ta ra exam in pass do-ta (SFP-‘wishing’) ‘Had Taro studied, he should/would have passed the exam.’ (5) Taroo wa shiken ni pasu shi-ta. ‘Taro passed the exam.’ In this account the morphemes (r)u and ta will be associated with a single interp…
abstract: This dissertation is concerned with the relationship between morphological tense forms of Japanese, such as (r)u ("non-past") and ta ("past"), and their temporal interpretation. The goal of the research reported here is to establish a simple overall theory. The analysis focuses on the following sentence types: simple sentences, complex sentences (without conditional sentences), conditional complex sentences and sentences with an embedded clause. We will show here a few examples of problems as to temporal interpretations. In simple sentences, there are cases such as (1), which deviate from the norm of "normal" interpretation. Sentence (1) (with the “past” form of ta) can be uttered felicitously even in a situation where the bus in question has not yet arrived. (1)Busu ga ki-ta! Bus nom come-ta ‘The bus is coming.’ Or ‘The bus has come.’ In complex sentences, the antecedent clause in sentences with toki 'when', can take either (r)u or ta forms in sentence (2), while it cannot take the ta form in sentence 93), although the antecedent clauses in both sentences are interpreted as non-past. (2) Kondo a-u/at-ta toki, hanashi-ma-su. Next-time see-(r)u/see-ta toki talk-polite-(r)u ‘Next time when (I) see (you), (I) will tell (it to you).’ (3)Yuushoku o su-ru/*shi-ta toki, biiru o nom-u. supper acc do-(r)u/do-ta toki beer acc drink-(r)u ‘When (I) take supper, (I) will drink beer.’ In regard to conditional complex sentences, there can be a problem interpreting ta, as in hypothetical sentence (4) below. The ta of the consequent clause in example (4) cannot be evaluated (interpreted) as being the same as the ta in example (5) where we have an indicative sentence. (4) Taroo wa benkyoo shi-ta ra, shaken ni pasu shi-ta (no ni). Taro top study do-ta ra exam in pass do-ta (SFP-‘wishing’) ‘Had Taro studied, he should/would have passed the exam.’ (5) Taroo wa shiken ni pasu shi-ta. ‘Taro passed the exam.’ In this account the morphemes (r)u and ta will be associated with a single interp…
author: HIRATA, KAYOKO.
language: en
keywords: Japanese language -- Temporal constructions., Japanese language -- Temporal clauses., Japanese language -- Tense.
date published: 1987
date modified: 2026-07-24T00:57:10Z
provider: University of Arizona
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: The University of Arizona.

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: http://hdl.handle.net/10150/184065