A Study on the Combinations of Verbal Nouns and the Irregular Verb “Suru”
Resource
臺大日本語文研究, 10, 053-084
Journal
臺大日本語文研究
Journal Issue
10
Pages
053-084
Date Issued
2005-12
Date
2005-12
Author(s)
Huang, H.H.
Abstract
In Japanese, there are two forms of expression to combine verbal nouns and the irregular verb “suru” , “verbal nouns +suru” and “verbal nouns +o+suru”. These two forms of expression are considered almost the same in their meanings. Only that the form of “verbal nouns +o+suru” is used as nouns, while the form of “verbal nouns +suru” is used as verbs. Maybe this is the reason why the studies on their differences are so rare. And the purpose of this paper is to survey the differences between these two forms of expression.Our findings are as follows:
1. If the connotation of verbal nouns is some state of affairs, and when the subject of action has to face that situation by chance, then we could use the form of “verbal nouns +o+suru”.
2. On the occasions when the nature of nouns in the verbal nouns reveals itself, we should use the form of “verbal nouns +o+suru”. But on the occasions when the nature of verbs in the verbal nouns reveals itself, we should use the form of “verbal nouns +suru”.
3. The subject of “verbal nouns +o+suru” has to be living things like human beings, while the subject of “verbal nouns +suru” has to be inanimate objects.
4. If a verbal noun accompanies an attributive adjunct, and the whole phrase forms some state of affairs, we should use the form of “verbal nouns +o+suru”. If there is an auxiliary word “o” in the sentence already, then we use the form of “verbal nouns +suru”.
Subjects
事象
動作
動詞性質
名詞性質
state of affairs
chance
the nature of verbs
the nature of nouns
Type
journal article