358 Glossary
ContinuativeAn inflection indicating that the action represented by the
inflected word is still in effect, either ’as is’, or as part of a more com-
plex inflection..
Contraction The phenomenon in which certain parts of speech get short-
ened by either dropping (series of) syllables or replacing series of syl-
lables with shorter, different syllabls. An example of this in English
is the word ”cannot” being turned into ”can’t” through omission. An
example in Japanese is being turned into through a
combination of omission and replacement..
Contrasting Showing two things as being different in one or more respects.
The biggest possible contrast is called polar contrast, where two things
are presented as opposites (’lying on opposite poles’), rather than
merely differing..
Copula A word or part of phrase used to define, or couple, things. In
English, this is the verb ”to be”, which is used in definitions, such as
”the sky is blue”. In Japanese, these are a large number of copulae,
with the two words and being the most used, for informal
and formal coupling respectively..
Counter A word used to indicate that a numerical statement should be
considered as representing a count of some thing(s), rather than a
plain numerical value..
DecompositionReducing compound constructions to their individual parts..
Deferred Indirect..
Derogative A word or phrase that suggests someone or something is worth
less than they really are. BeliĴling, detracting, expressing low opin-
ion of..
Desirative A word or phrase that expresses desires..
DirectNot hiding one’s true intentions behind suggestive words or for-
mality paĴerns, ”speaking one’s mind”. Contrast to ”indirect”..
Direct object That part of phrase that receives the action of a transitive
verb. For instance, in ”I throw a ball” the word ”ball” as direct ob-
ject receives its action from the verb ”throw”. Contrast to ”indirect
object”, compare to ”subject”..