This paper examines lexical-semantic properties of verbs, adjectives and auxiliaries appearing in adnominal clauses in comparison with those in final-attributives(sentences ending in adnominal form)in colloquial Heian Japanese. It is revealed that there is a certain correlation between the lexical semantics and the syntax of adnominal-ending form.The specific findings are as follows:(1)In adnominal clauses verbs of motion/change, verbs of emotion/thought/perception and verbs of existence are most frequent, in descending order, while in final-attributives verbs of emotion/thought/perception, verbs of motion/change, and verbs of existence are most frequent, in descending order.(2)In adnominal clauses all adjectives types(emotional, attributive and intermediate)are found, while in final-attributives only emotional(often with negative connotation)adjectives are used.(3)No particular correlations are found between the frequency and the lexical meanings of auxiliaries in adnominal clauses. In final-attributives, emotion/thought auxiliaries, past/perfective auxiliaries, inference auxiliaries, negative auxiliaries, assertive auxiliaries are most frequent, in descending order.
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