Stativity and progressive: The case of Japanese ‘tokoro-da’

Abstract

The Japanese noun ‘tokoro’ (lit. ‘place’) has a grammaticalized variant with a temporal interpretation (Takubo 2011). Syntactically, this variant behaves like a noun and is typically modified by a sentence (or a suitable proform). The resulting NP ‘S-tokoro’ roughly means ‘time at which S’. With the copula ‘da/datta’ (Nonpast/Past) it can form a matrix sentence; but on its own it can also be used as a temporal adverbial. In these respects it is similar to other temporal expressions like ‘S-mae’ (‘time before S’), ‘S-ato’ (‘time after S), and ‘S-toki’ (‘time at which S’). But the acceptability and interpretation of ‘S-tokoro’ interacts with the temporal and aspectual properties of ‘S’ in puzzling ways. Focusing on matrix uses in this paper (embedded ones being similar), we develop an analysis that accounts for those interactions.