「は」と「が」:それぞれの機能するレベルの違いに注目して

概要

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This study is concerned with the functions of the Japanese particles "wa" and "ga". Both of them can appear in the nominative case, but "wa" can also appear in other cases. Therefore, a series of particles without "wa" contrast with another series of particles marked with "wa". "Wa" has two usages: theme and contrast. Both of them come from one function of the particle, which sets something against others. Its thematic usage sets an element of a sentence against the background of the discourse, and its contrastive usage sets an element against another. "Ga" has also two usages: exclusion and neutral description. In fact, exclusion is not peculiar to "ga", but it is found also in other cases, when they are emphasized as new information. The exclusive usage has nothing to do with the original function of "ga". It is to be defined as a bundle of semantic features which become clear when contrasted with other case particles. "Ga" indicates the relation of a noun phrase to a predicate only once; it should be dealt with in syntax."Wa" marks a noun phrase as a theme, relating it to the end of the sentence where the statement is finished; it belongs to the grammar of discourse.
日本言語学会の論文