Grammaticalization and lexicalization : the verb suru in Japanese

Shigemori Bučar, Chikako (author)

This paper discusses the meaning and function of one of the most general, and widely em-ployed verbs in Japanese, suru. After a short overview of definitions of grammaticalization and lexicalization in general linguistics, some Japanese grammarians and their treatment of the verb suru, particularly in the first half of the twentieth century, are described. The main part of the paper introduces the usages of the verb suru in the first years of learning Japanese as a second language. This verb suru, of which the first and the most representative meaning is “to do”, appears in various ways, grammaticalized or lexicalized. Finally, the uses of the verb are compared with similar verbs in some European languages and their related expressions.

• Language: English
• Keywords: slovene, japanese verb, suru, beginners’ japanese
• Typology: 1.16 - Independent Scientific Component Part or a Chapter in a Monograph
• Organization: FF - Faculty of Arts
• Publication date: 08.01.2026
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: Str. 403-420
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-178162
• UDC: 811.521'367(075.8)
• COBISS.SI-ID: 265418499
• Publication date in RUL: 20.01.2026

Record is a part of a monograph

• Title: Čiv, čiv, še sem živ : jezikoslovne študije v spomin profesorju Janezu Orešniku
• Editors: Tatjana Marvin Derganc
• Place of publishing: Ljubljana
• Publisher: Založba Univerze
• Year: 2025
• ISBN: 978-961-297-731-3
• COBISS.SI-ID: 259532803

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Gramatikalizacija in leksikalizacija

Abstract

Članek obravnava pomen in funkcijo enega najsplošnejših in najpogosteje uporabljanih gla-golov v japonščini, suru. Po kratkem pregledu definicij gramatikalizacije in leksikalizacije v splošnem jezikoslovju so opisani nekateri japonski slovničarji in njihova obravnava glagola suru, zlasti v prvi polovici 20. stoletja. V osrednjem delu prispevka so predstavljene rabe glagola suru v prvih letih učenja japonščine kot L2: glagol suru, katerega prvi in najbolj re-prezentativni pomen je „delati“, se pojavlja na različne načine, gramatikalizirano ali leksika-lizirano. Na koncu primerjamo rabo japonskega glagola suru z nekaterimi evropskimi jeziki in njihovimi izrazi.

• Keywords: japonski glagol, suru, japonščina na začetniški ravni