The Many Meanings of 参る
The underlying thread in 参る seems to be the concept of “submitting” or “yielding to something greater than oneself.” It…
て as a Gerund-Like Construction: From Action Connector to Nominal Element
The development of て from its origins as the perfective つ (tsu) into a form capable of creating gerund-like constructions…
The Two Ancient Paths of Japanese Adjectives
Pure Descriptive Adjectives (き/し) These adjectives were fundamental descriptors in early Japanese, designed to directly express observable qualities and states.…
The Subtle Art of Japanese State Changes: Understanding となる/とする vs になる/にする
Japanese learners often struggle with the difference between となる/とする and になる/にする. While both sets of expressions deal with change or…
として: A Comprehensive Analysis of Function and Etymology
Core Etymology and Formation The compound として represents a more complex grammatical formation than is often understood. Its initial element…
The Evolution of Japanese て
The story of the Japanese て (te) form reveals a fascinating journey through the language’s history, showing how a simple…