Interpretation of transitivity of Japanese Movable Constructions Based on Prototype Theory : Comparison Approach with Chinese Translations

We discuss the transitivity degree of movement verb constructions which transitivity/intransitivity is unclear. Based on our view that analyzing the degree is much effective to explain the transitivity of movement verb constructions rather than categorizing them into either a transitive class or an intransitive class, we compare Japanese movement verb constructions with their Chinese translations, categorize them into three categories based on the degree of semantic transitivity, and discuss the degree using a prototype theory in cognitive linguistics. I Category: The subject is an agent having a will. The movement of the agent puts the target area under its control quantitatively or associates results of changing mastery over the area. Semantic transitivity is category is high. Ⅱ Category: The subject is not always an agent having a will, but any subject in this category is movable and has some kinds of energy. It has agentivity though it is weaker than that of a subject in the I Category. Agent\u27s movement puts its target area under its control. It does not seem to change the target but influence it. The transitivity in this category is weaker than that in the I Category. Ⅲ Category: The subject is not an agent having a will. Sentences in this category have an implication of directivity, which is the common point with the I and Ⅱ Categories. This category does not have transitivity. We conclude (1) movement verb constructions have several different levels of transitivity from high to zero and show hierarchy of the transitivity and (2) proposed three categories have common implication on directivity and are connected continuously