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Peer-reviewed Invited Lead author
Jan, 2012

Tsubei and Tsubeshii : The Shiku Conjugation Change of the Auxiliary Verb Beshi

Studies in the Japanese Language
  • YAMAMOTO Sawako

Volume
8
Number
1
First page
29
Last page
44
Language
Japanese
Publishing type
Research paper (scientific journal)
DOI
10.20666/nihongonokenkyu.8.1_29
Publisher
The Society for Japanese Linguistics

The auxiliary verb beshi was originally conjugated with ku. However, during the Muromachi period, one begins to see examples of shiku conjugation appearing as well. In this paper we focus on the fact that in shiku conjugations, this change only occurs in the example of tsubei (originally tsu+beshi). We investigate the reasons for this by considering the dual meanings of beshi, as well as the historical change of its system of modality. The meaning of beshi is broadly divided into the two functions of (1) expressing the state or nature of something (an expression of state-of-affairs) and (2) expressing the operation of the speaker's judgment (an expression of epistemic modality). Tsubeshi and nubeshi have existed as exclusive forms of the 'state-of-affairs' meaning of beshi since the Heian period, whereas tsubeshi expressed 'possibility (dynamic possibility)', and complimentarily, nubeshi expressed 'probability (existential possibility)'. During the Muromachi period, from tsubei, tsubeshii developed, which was used to express a state in an evaluative manner. This can be interpreted as one phenomenon within the process of shiku-conjugated adjectives coming to be derived from ku-conjugated adjectives, a change that occurred during this period. Also, uzu assumed the 'epistemic' meaning of beshi, and it was beshi that was incorporated into the literary language. Tsubei, which expresses the 'state- of-affairs' meaning of beshi, remained in the spoken language longer than beshi. It is thought that tsubei remained in existence until the development and progression of expressions such as sona (written as sauna).

Link information
DOI
https://doi.org/10.20666/nihongonokenkyu.8.1_29
CiNii Articles
http://ci.nii.ac.jp/naid/110009479832
CiNii Books
http://ci.nii.ac.jp/ncid/AA11998386
URL
http://id.ndl.go.jp/bib/023462164
ID information
  • DOI : 10.20666/nihongonokenkyu.8.1_29
  • ISSN : 1349-5119
  • CiNii Articles ID : 110009479832
  • CiNii Books ID : AA11998386

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