TOPICALIZATION AND SUBJECTIVIZATION IN JAPANESE - CHARACTERIZATIONAL AND IDENTIFICATIONAL INFORMATION

This paper discusses two well-known constructions in Japanese, namely, topicalization and multiple subjectivization, as typically illustrate d in the following two examples cited from Mikami (1960) and Kuno (197 3): (1) Zoo -wa hana -ga nagai. elephant-TOP trunk-NOM is-long 'Elepha nts have long trunks.' (2) Bunmeikoku -ga dansei-ga heikin-zyumyoo-ga mizikai. civilized countries -NOM male -NOM average life span -NON is- short 'It is civilized countries that men are such that their average life span is short' We will argue that the acceptability of the constr uctions in question crucially depends on whether the topicalized or su bjectivized NP is characterized by the rest of the sentence, and propo se the Characterization Condition for the 'Zoo-wa hana-ga nagai' Const ruction (CC) and the Characterization Condition for Subjectivization ( CCS). We will also argue that the phenomenon of subjectivization, whic h seems more complex than that of topicalization, is subject to the re quirement that 'Y' and 'Z' in the structure [X-ga Y-ga Z-ga...] be ide ntified by 'X' and 'Y', respectively, which we will call the Identifia bility Condition for Subjectivization (ICS). It will also be argued th at the dine of acceptability often observed in the subjectivization ph enomenon can be accounted for by the interaction between the CCS and t he ICS.