Meanings and Functions of Ite as the Second Non-Finite Form of an Existential Verb

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  • 存在動詞の第二中止形「いて」の意味・機能
  • ソンザイ ドウシ ノ ダイニ チュウシケイ 「 イテ 」 ノ イミ ・ キノウ

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Abstract

This paper aims to describe meanings and functions of ite, the second non-finite form of an existential verb iru, which represents existence of animate subjects by investigating examples of usage in texts. In composition of a temporal structure of two events, it indicates the simultaneity of an existence of a subject and a main event which is represented by a finite verbal predicate. There can be variations of simultaneity but unlike motion verbs, it doesn’t represent precedence of an event regardless of aspectual differences of finite verbal predicate. Main analysis is done based on the structural difference of the sentences in which the subject of ite and final predicate verb is same or not and Kinsui（2006）’s classification of existential sentences. When the subject of two predicates is same, ite, as the predicate of the locational-existential sentences, represents the place where the main event realizes as well as the place where the subject exists. It also has a function of introducing characters who appear for the first time in the scene or story. It also introduces existence of a subset or a specified character in a context as the predicate of quantitative-existential sentences but unlike locational-existential sentences, it doesn’t represent the place of a main event. When the subject of two predicates is different, ite introduces participants of the main events which work in different roles are other than subject. These features suggest that usage of the non-finite forms of both existential verbs and motion verbs can be analyzed in terms of locational meaning and character-introducing function though they are different in nature of events they represent and grammatical properties.

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