Miratives in Japanese

Abstract

AbstractThe notion of mirativity as a grammatical category separate from evidentiality is controversial, but a certain amount of cross-linguistic evidence speaks for its validity. The aim of this study is to investigate this notion in contemporary and earlier Japanese, which is shown to have mirative constructions: (i)nomiratives, (ii)kotomiratives, and (iii) lexical miratives. The particlesnoandkotoare polyfunctional, and they have recently gained a mirative function. Lexical miratives are uttered by the younger generation. These findings raise a diachronic issue regarding the emergence of the three mirative constructions. AdoptingCruschina’s (2011)cartographic approach to discourse-related phenomena and the notion of “emotional vocative” offered byYamada (1936), we argue that what binds the three constructions together is the involvement of the IFocP (Information Focus Phrase) and that their emergences are all explained by grammaticalization paths starting from nominals.