2024 Volume 20 Issue 1 Pages 1-17
To understand how Saraba became a farewell salutation, it is necessary to elaborate on the process of conjunctivization, which signifies the preliminary stage of the transformation of a term to a farewell salutation. Conjunctivization represents the modification whereby Saraba lost the forward hypothetical condition and acquired the function of scene development. This study traces this transformation by focusing on the subsequent expressions and antecedent situations of Saraba and comparing it with Sareba, which expresses a forward definite condition, as well as the mizen form (imperfective form) + ba, which denotes a forward hypothetical condition. The results reveal that, first, Saraba often co-occurs with expressions of will and command, unlike Sareba and the mizen form + ba; since the Kamakura period, 70–90% of the use of Saraba has occurred with such expressions. Second, Saraba is frequently subjected to antecedent external situations, and this practice exceeded 80% of Saraba during the Muromachi period. These findings suggest that Saraba was conjunctivized and acquired the function of scene development during the Muromachi period. Comparisons with Sareba and the mizen form + ba reveal that the previously mentioned characteristics of Saraba are unique to this sa-system conjunctive expression of a forward hypothetical condition.
