テイル形の質量名詞的な性質

Abstract

In this paper, I argue that Japanese teiru-form has properties similar to the ones that mass terms have. One of them is cumulative, another is distributive. The former is the property that for any teiru-form verb, the verb is true at any sum of the intervals at which the verb is true. The latter is the property that for any teiru-form verb, the verb is true at any part of the interval at which the verb is true. In this paper, I adopt a lattice structure for representing these features. On the basis of these properties, I extend the concept of the interval by two ways. First, I define "individual interval" and "material interval". Individual interval is one where the internal structure of the interval cannot be handled, as in the case of nouns that represent individuals. On the other hand, material interval is one where the internal structure of the interval can be handled, as in the case of nouns that represent material. By these concepts, I can distinguish teiru-form from suru/sita-form. Second, I define "plural interval" and "singular interval". Singular interval is a normal interval, but plural interval is made up of a set of singular intervals. By introducing "plural interval", I present the semantics of teiru-form not only for progressive and resultative readings but also for habitual and repetitive readings, which haven't been considered so far.