The Development of the Modal Adverb nanimo

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  • 叙法副詞「なにも」の成立
  • ジョホウ フクシ ナニモ ノ セイリツ

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Abstract

In Modern Japanese, nanimo can be used as either a quantifier or a modal adverb. This paper describes the historical change of nanimo, focusing on the development of the modal adverb nanimo as follows. (1) Nanimo became a quantifier strengthening the connection with negation. In the latter half of the Edo period, the restriction of co-occurrence with negation occurred. In the Edo period, nanimo was characterized as being often used in nonexistential sentences. (2) Among nonexistential sentences with nanimo, sentences that express the nonexistence of events may represent the speaker's judgment on the event being unnecessary. In the late Edo period, the modal adverb nanimo developed through these usages. Subsequently, nanimo began to co-occur with a series of negative expressions.

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