TEMPORAL PROPERTIES IN JAPANESE (TENSE, CONDITIONALS)

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 complex sentences, the antecedent clause in sentences with toki 'when', can take either (r)u or ta forms while it cannot take the ta form when the antecedent clauses in both sentences are interpreted as non-past.;In regard to conditional complex sentences, there can be a problem interpreting ta, as in hypothetical sentence (1) below. The ta of the consequent clause in example (1) cannot be evaluated (interpreted) as being the same as the ta in example (2) where we have an indicative sentence.(UNFORMATTED TABLE OR EQUATION FOLLOWS);In this account the morphemes (r)u and ta are associated with a single interpretation. Therefore, the difference between simple and complex are attributed to two distinct modes of composition.;In simple sentences, there are cases which deviate from the norm of "normal" interpretation.;In order to solve the problem of simple sentences (which deviate from the norm of "normal interpretations"), a pragmatic (contextual) approach is introduced.;In regard to conditional sentences, interpretations are classified on the basis of truth relations and temporal interpretations of antecedent and consequent. In order to treat the range of observed truth relations, a model of time and worlds is introduced.;To solve the problematic phenomena of relationships between the tense forms and their interpretations, the following method is proposed: (i) Use of a time model; (ii) Analysis of lexical properties; (iii) Sentence composition; (iv) Contextual analysis for pragmatic aspects. (Abstract shortened with permission of author.)...