LINGUIST List 25.1435
Tue
Mar 25 2014
Diss: Japanese, Swedish,
Semantics: Shimotori: 'Conceptual Contrasts: A
comparative Semantic Study ...'
Editor for this issue:
Xiyan Wang <xiyanlinguistlist.org>
Date: 24-Mar-2014
From: Misuzu Shimotori
<misuzu.shimotori
orient.su.se>
Subject: Conceptual Contrasts:
A comparative Semantic Study of Dimensional
Adjectives in Japanese and Swedish
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Institution: Umeå University
Program: Department of Language Studies
Dissertation Status: Completed
Degree Date: 2013
Author: Misuzu Shimotori
Dissertation Title: Conceptual Contrasts: A
comparative Semantic Study of Dimensional
Adjectives in Japanese and Swedish
Linguistic Field(s): Semantics
Subject Language(s):
Japanese (jpn)
Swedish
(swe)
Dissertation Director:
Ingmarie Mellenius
Maria Koptjevskaja-Tamm
Andrea Schalley
Dissertation Abstract:
Dimensional expressions describe the extension
of entities that we commonly
perceive in the three-dimensional space. Most
languages have dimensional
expressions such as dimensional adjectives
(e.g. high, long) that are said
to be universal. The present study explores
concepts of dimensional
adjectives in Japanese and Swedish in terms of
the two knowledge bases,
namely linguistic knowledge and extralinguistic
knowledge. The focus is on
examining whether there are any similarities
and differences in the
conceptualisation of dimensional adjectives
between Japanese and Swedish.In
order to see how concepts underlying
dimensional adjectives are represented
in a speaker's mind, data was collected mainly
from two word-association
tests that were conducted in different ways
with regard to response time
and format of the questions. Other sources are
dictionaries and online
corpora. The results show that concepts of
dimensional adjectives are
represented differently in these two languages.
The most remarkable
difference is that Japanese participants
associate dimensional adjectives
mostly with nouns that are generally
highlighted by focusing on their
prominent extensions (e.g. long is associated
with river), whereas Swedish
participants associate dimensional adjectives
with both adjectives and
nouns. Differences in association patterns
between the two languages would
qualify as evidence that conceptual
representations of dimensional
adjectives have a clear contrast.
Page Updated: 25-Mar-2014