Postpositions "-ni mukete," "-ni mukatte," and "-wo mezashite" all express <direction> of motion and action, and frequently appear in a similar linguistic environment. However, the distinctions in usage among these postpositions are not clearly stated in literature. This study was conducted for the purpose of clarifying their differences in meaning and usage.
The data (i.e. sample sentences) were collected from digital newspaper articles and a CD-ROM collection of Japanese literature books. The meaning and usage of the three postpositions in the sample sentences were compared in the following four semantic dimensions: (1) <direction> of motion; (2) <direction> of change; (3) <direction> of action; and (4) <direction> of space layout.
The essential meanings of each postposition across the dimensions were identified as follows:
1. "-ni mukete" presents an agent a "destination" of motion or a "predetermined goal" of action, but it does not necessarily involve the agent's actual "approach" to it. "-ni mukete" also indicates the "target" of an action, when the action is directed towards a person, an object or a place.
2. "-ni mukatte" expresses: 1) an agent's "approach" towards a specific "direction" of motion or action; 2) an agent's "confrontation" with a person, an object or a place, when an action is directed towards it.
3. "-wo mezashite" always indicates an agent's attempts to reach or achieve a specific "goal".