Studies in the Language and style of Piers Plowman

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This research project (1999-2001) regarding the language and style of Piers Plowman (B-text) aimed : (1) to collect all relevant books and articles and (2) collect and analyze the data for studies in the language and style of Piers Plowman. The chief results of the study so far done are as follows:1. Collected some 200 relevant books and articles on the language and style of Piers Plowman. Out of these, most of the Japanese materials were recorded with some critical comments in my book One hundred Years of English Language Studies in Japan: Retrospects and Prospects (Nan'un-do, 2001).2. Argued in an article (Notes and Queries [Oxford], Vol. 245) that the word shewynge in Piers Plowman B.V.379 is syntactically a verbal noun (followed by its object shrift), not a present participle or participial adjective (modifying shrift) as is generally construed today; accordingly the line in question may be transited more or less literally as This showing of (your) shrift may be a merit to you.3. Made a detailed descriptive study of the verbals (participles, gerunds, infinitives) in PPl from a historical point of view and argued that his language was, historically speaking, rather conservative, or more of Germanic character.