現代日本語可能表現「N(ガ)デキル」の意味用法

Abstract

In this paper, the model of “possibility” is first established in pursuing the meaning and usage of the expression of possibility “N(ga)dekiru”, and the meanings of “possibility” into three types such as <potentiality>, <realization> and <intermediate type> are set, thinking that <potentiality> and <expression>, which are the grammatical meanings represented by “possibility”, are not different, but “possibility” is the concept that has both <potentiality> and <expression>. Next, it is investigated under which conditions the expression of possibility “N(ga)dekiru” can be represented by distinguishing three types from two viewpoints such as subject and possibility factors. The results are follows. First, it is confirmed that if the subject is “person”, and the subject of action can be specified, “ability possibility” that represents <potentiality>, “situation possibility” representing from <potentiality> to <expression> and “realization possibility” that represents <expression> can be thought according to the differences of possibility factors. Second, if the subject of action cannot be specified, “person” “object” and “incident” can be thought of as the subject, and they all are found to be “attribute possibility” that represents “potentiality”. In this regard, this paper has its significance in that it divided the meanings of “possibility” identified by the conventional dichotomy of <potentiality> or <expression> into three types in consideration of the relevance of <potentiality> and <expression> and confirmed that the meanings of “possibility” can be determined depending on the type of the subject and the factor of “possibility”.