JPN494: Japanese Language and Linguistics JPN543: Advanced Japanese Language and Linguistics Syntax (4)

Binding theory Binding theory is a component of grammar that concerns relationships between pronouns and their antecedents (the element that pronouns refer back to). – [A tall guy] 1 came in. He 1 ordered a regular coffee. (a tall guy is an antecedent of he; he is bound to a tall guy) – Joe 1 devotes himself 1 to Japanese literature. (Joe is an antecedent of himself; himself is bound to Joe)

Binding theory for English regular pronouns vs. reflexive pronouns Joe 1 likes himself 1 *Joe 1 likes him 1 Joe 1 likes him 2 (cf.) A: Bob doesn’t like Joe, Jake doesn’t like Joe either – I guess nobody likes him. B: Well, at least JOE 1 likes him 1

*Joe 1 likes him 1 Joe 1 likes himself 1 Susan 1 was unhappy because Joe criticized her 1 *Susan 1 was unhappy because Joe criticized herself 1 What is the condition under which a regular pronoun can be used? What is the condition under which a reflexive pronoun can be used?

*Nobody told Susan 1 about her 1 Nobody told Susan 1 about herself 1 *Joe assigned Susan 1 her 1 (as a portrait model) Joe assigned Susan 1 herself 1 (as a portrait model) Susan’s 1 friends like her 1 *Susan’s 1 friends like herself 1

Principles A & B Principle A: A reflexive pronoun must be bound by an “outranking” argument of the same predicate. Principle B: A non-reflexive pronoun may not be bound by an “outranking” argument of the same predicate. Argument Hierarchy: subject > direct object > indirect object > PP-complement cf. It is himself 1 that Joe 1 admires most.

Binding in prepositional phrases *Nobody told Susan 1 [about her 1 ] Nobody told Susan 1 [about herself 1 ] *They 1 talk [to them 1 ] They 1 talk [to themselves 1 ] Joe 1 put the TV remote down [beside him 1 ] Joe 1 put the TV remote down [beside himself 1 ] Joe 1 saw snakes [around him 1 ] Joe 1 saw snakes [around himself 1 ]

Picture noun reflexives Joe 1 found [a [picture [of him 1 ]]] Joe 1 found [a [picture [of himself 1 ]]] Clinton 1 wrote [a [book [about him 1 ]]] Clinton 1 wrote [a [book [about himself 1 ]]] Modified Principle A: A reflexive pronoun that has an outranking argument must be bound by an outranking argument of the same predicate. cf. Joe 1 ordered a regular coffee. Then, {he 1 /*him 1 /*himself 1 } left. Joe’s 1 criticism of himself 1 vs. *Joe’s 1 criticism of him 1

“Exempt” reflexive pronouns are subject to some discourse-oriented (viewpoint-related) condition. John 1 was going to get even with Mary. That picture of himself 1 in the paper would really annoy her, as would the other stunts he played. Mary was quite taken aback by the publicity John 1 was receiving. That picture of himself 1 in the paper had really annoyed her, and there was not much she could do about it.

Does Japanese have a reflexive pronoun? the reflexive use of zibun 山田 ( やまだ ) くん 1 は 自分 1 を批判 ( ひはん ) した. ‘Yamada 1 criticized himself 1 ’ 山田 ( やまだ ) くん 1 は 自分 1 を ( 絵のモデル として ) 鈴木くんに割り当てた. ‘Yamada 1 assigned himself 1 to Suzuki (as a portrait model)’

Zibun doesn’t need to be bound to an (outranking) argument of the same verb: ユミ 1 は, ケンが { 彼女 1 / 自分 1 } をたずねて来たとき, テレビを見ていた. Yumi 1 was watching TV when Ken visited her 1. ユミ 1 は, { 彼女 1 / 自分 1 } が批判されたとき, 黙っていた. Yumi 1 didn’t say anything when she 1 was criticized.

(As a rule) zibun must be bound by a subject: ‘Yamada helped Suzuki in his room’ 山田くん 1 は鈴木くん 2 を彼 {1/2} の部屋で手伝った. 山田くん 1 は鈴木くん 2 を自分 {1/*2} の部屋で手伝った. ‘Yamada showed Suzuki the car he designed’ 山田くん 1 は鈴木くん 2 に [ 彼 {1/2} が設計 ( せっけい ) した ] 車を見 せた 山田くん 1 は鈴木くん 2 に [ 自分 {1/*2} が設計した ] 車を見せた

Zibun does not have to be bound to an outranking argument of the same predicate. The antecedent of zibun must be a subject. Zibun must be structurally “commanded” by its antecedent. (Or more briefly: Zibun must be bound to a structurally commanding subject.) ユミ 1 は, 自分 1 が合格 ( ごうかく ) したとき, まず両親に報告した. ‘When she passed the exam, Yumi reported it to her parents first.’ * 自分 1 は, ユミ 1 が合格したとき, まず両親に報告した.

More details on zibun Various uses of zibun: #1 In certain dialects/styles, zibun is used as a first or second person pronoun. 「自分は千葉の生まれです」 「自分がやります」

#2 Zibun is used in certain idioms: 自分で ( やった ) ‘(he did it) himself’ 自分から ‘voluntarily, spontaneously’ #3 Zibun is used as a common noun that means: ‘self, identity’: 自分探 ( さが ) しの旅 ( たび ) ‘a quest for your true self’ もう一人の自分 ‘alter ego’ 山田くんは自分を見失 ( みうしな ) っている ‘Yamada lost his mind’

#4 Zibun has a ‘contrastive’ use: 山田くんは、みんなにトヨタの車を薦める. ‘Yamada recommends a Toyota to everyone.’ でも, 自分はフォードの車に乗っている. ‘But he himself drives a Ford.’

Perspective-sensitivity of zibun (The core use of) zibun has intriguing properties related to the “viewpoint”: ‘Yamada lost the book that Suzuki lent to him.’ 山田くん 1 は [ 鈴木くんが 自分 1 に貸 ( か ) し てあげた本 ] を失 ( な ) くしてしまった. 山田くん 1 は [ 鈴木くんが 自分 1 に貸してくれ た本 ] を失くしてしまった.

‘Yamada lost the book that {Suzuki/I} handed to him.’ 山田くん 1 は [ 鈴木くんが 自分 1 に渡 ( わた ) した本 ] を失 ( な ) くしてしまった. 山田くん 1 は [ 僕が 自分 1 に渡した本 ] を失く してしまった.

The use of zibun indicates that the speaker empathizes with its referent more than the referents of the sister arguments, * 山田くん 1 は [ 鈴木くんが 自分 1 に貸 ( か ) してあげた本 ] を失 ( な ) くしてしまった. 山田くん 1 は [ 鈴木くんが 自分 1 に貸してくれた本 ] を失くして しまった. 山田くん 1 は [ 鈴木くんが 自分 1 に渡 ( わた ) した本 ] を失 ( な ) く してしまった. * 山田くん 1 は [ 僕が 自分 1 に渡した本 ] を失くしてしまった.

A regular pronoun like kare is not subject to such a constraint. 山田くん 1 は [ 鈴木くんが 彼 1 に貸 ( か ) してあげた本 ] を失 ( な ) くしてしまった. 山田くん 1 は [ 鈴木くんが 彼 1 に貸してくれた本 ] を失くしてし まった. 山田くん 1 は [ 鈴木くんが 彼 1 に渡 ( わた ) した本 ] を失 ( な ) くし てしまった. 山田くん 1 は [ 僕が 彼 1 に渡した本 ] を失くしてしまった.

Zibun in its reflexive use is not subject to the perspective constraint. 山田くんは ( 絵のモデルとして ) 自分を僕に 割り当ててくれた. The use of zibun is sensitive to the speaker’s viewpoint only when it is not bound to an outranking argument of the same verb.