현대일본수필에 나타난 「문말ことだ」에 관한 고찰

Abstract

This study concentrates on classifying the examples of "kotoda"in the ending of sentences from 34 modern Japanese essays. 641 out of 1,150 examples of "kokoda" are classified in this study excluding the following sentences "～ことはない(ことではない)" and its variations (indeterminate form of sentence ending word "kotoda"); speculation form "～ことだろう(か)" and its variations; "～らしいことだ, ～たいことだ, ～てはならないことだ, ～すべきことだ" that can affect the classification of meanings; "uninflicted words+のことだ and its variations" and "adjective verb stems+なことだ and its variations"that become incomplete sentences when "kotoda" is omitted; and "～ようなことだ, ～とのことだ, and ～ってことだ." The focus of this study is to explain the co-occurrence relationship and the explanation relationship within the context between adverbs, connective postpositions, conjunctions, references, etc. in sentences ending with "kotoda." As a result, examples were divided in the order of "explanation(387 examples)," "decisive opinion(168)," "appropriateness(46)," "awe(admiration)·surprise(21)," "advice(forbid)(11)," and "message(8)." The difference between "decisive opinion" and "appropriateness"is that it is possible to explain"appropriateness" examples as "decisive opinion" although it is not a natural usage. "Appropriateness" is a better way of description. On the other hand, "decisive opinion" sentences cannot be explained as "appropriateness." The difference between "appropriateness" and "advice(forbid)" is that "advice(forbid)" examples only come as "～ないこと(だ)文" forms while "appropriateness"examples do not include "～ないこと(だ)文." All 6 types of examples had explanatory features including "sentence+kotoda"that explains either the sentence that comes before or the sentence that comes after. The form "kotodasentence+posterior sentence"is seen in all 6 types of examples. The form "kokodasentence+prior sentence" is seen in all types except "message." Additionally, there were many variations for "explanation" examples which includes "～ということだ(170 examples)," "～のは～ことだ(36)," "omitted～(こと)だ(30)," adverb "つまり～ことだ(33)," connective postposition "～が～ことだ(16),"conditional sentence "～ば～ことだ(14)," and demonstrative "それは～ことだ(13)." Likewise, "decisive opinion" examples also had variations like "～ということだ(40 examples)," "～ないことだ(15)," and "～のは～ことだ(14)."