Of all the particles in Japanese, the dative particle ni is perhaps the one whose meaning is most difficult to pin down. It denotes, among many other things, location, goal, source, cause, purpose, reason, recipient, giver, causee, passive agent, and even experiencer in dative-experiencer-subject constructions. Some of its meanings, such as goal/source, reason/purpose, and recipient/giver, are semantically the polar opposites of one another. In this in-depth study of the particle, Hansen maintains that the syncretism exhibited by the dative case marker in Japanese is not arbitrary, but the...
Of all the particles in Japanese, the dative particle ni is perhaps the one whose meaning is most difficult to pin down. It denotes, among many other ...
