Stativization of verb semantics in modern Japanese: A pragmatic approach

The Japanese stative verb forms -te iru and - te aru have been discussed predominantly in regards to ‘aspect.’ However, strictly ‘aspectual’ approaches do not sufficiently explain various phenomena of -te iru, particularly those with ‘adjective-like’ meanings, nor do they provide a comprehensive framework for both - te iru and -te aru as the ‘stativizing device’ of verb semantics. All these expressions, in spite of their specific uses in different contexts, have identical morphological components: the main verb in the non-finite -te form and the auxiliary iru /aru (both ‘existential’ verbs originally). In addition, discourse data demonstrate semantic continuity among them. Based upon the belief that the speaker's mental attitude is an integral part of the meaning of a linguistic unit, this dissertation attempts to provide semantic coherence to the versatile uses of the stative verb form. It postulates that the stative form indicates the speaker's attitude as a ‘detached observer’ towards the situation being reported. Specifically focusing on the under-researched areas, i.e. the ‘adjectival’ -te iru and the ‘minor’ stative form -te aru, which appear in actual discourse, the study determines that they can be located on the opposite ends of a continuum of stativity. That is, the ‘adjectival’ - te iru has a high degree of stativity, its main verb does not report the actual occurrence of a discourse event, and often used metaphorically, it implies the speaker's evaluative attitude towards the situation. Whereas in the ‘aspectual’ -te iru, the speaker's viewpoint is connoted as having an implicit temporality, reflecting his focus of attention as an ‘observer’ in the ‘here-and-now.’ In terms of -te aru, the speaker perceives the situation with dual focus on the agent and object of the transitive event that he believes to have caused the current state. Indicating a high degree of transitivity with its main verb, -te aru inversely demonstrates a low degree of stativity, hence its limited usage as a stative form.