The Development and Acquisition of Japanese Benefactive Constructions: A Role and Reference Grammar Analysis

If you were to travel to Japan, you would likely hear ’giving’ and ’receiving’ verbs in conversations quite frequently. In Japanese, giving and receiving verbs are not only used to describe an object being transferred, but also metaphorically, for example to describe giving/receiving a favor or involvement in an event. Giving and receiving verbs in all of these situations are known as benefactive constructions. Role and Reference Grammar analysis allows us to analyze which structures of benefactive constructions correspond to different meanings. This book will explore the historic evolution of Japanese benefactive constructions and how children acquire these constructions.