本文所討論的Te-形子句（Te-clause），除了以最核心的動詞來充當述語的Te-形動詞子句（V-Te clause）以外，還包括以形容詞來充當述語的kute形形容詞子句（A-kute clause）、形容名詞（adjective noun = AN）來充當述語的de形形容名詞子句（AN-de clause）、與以名詞來充當述語的de形名詞子句（N-de clause），探討其音韻形態、句法結構以及語意功能。關於Te-形子句的句法結構，由其子句裡面的成分來看，我們認為Te-形子句是主要語含有非限定形（non-finite）的非限定子句（non-finite clause），與主句共現，只有副詞子句或補語子句的功能。當Te-形子句有副詞子句的功能時，其作用為修飾主句述語；而當Te-形子句有補語子句的功能時，動貌動詞等則成為Te-形子句的上位述語（matrix predicate）。此外，我們按照以下兩種素性和兩種值來嘗試了交叉分類（cross-classification）以釐清作為副詞子句的Te-形子句和主句的語意關係。第一個素性是，Te-形子句和主句之間是否存在著〈並行〉的關係（［+並行］或［－並行］），而第二個素性則是，兩者之間是否允許〈獨立主語〉（［＋獨立主語］或［－獨立主語］）。我們所得到的結論是：作為副詞子句的Te-形子句可分為〈同時並行〉、〈前後繼起〉、〈因果繼起〉和〈對比並行〉四種語意類型，而且不同的Te-形子句之間呈現不同程度的獨立性。

The present paper examines the relationship among ”phonological representation,” ”syntactic construction” and ”semantic function” of various types of Te-clauses of predicates in Japanese, ”V-Te clause” of verb, which functions as the core of predicates, ”A-kute clause” of adjective, ”AN-de clause” of adjective noun (=AN), and ”N-de clause” of noun. And we have found that, syntactically, the main structure of the ”Te-clause” is a non-finite clause and it functions only as either a complement clause or a subordinate clause co-occurring with the main clause; it modifies the predicate of the main clause when functioning as a subordinate clause, whereas it takes aspect verbs as its matrix predicate when functioning as a complement clause.Moreover, we employ two features, ”parallel” as well as ”independent subject,” and two values, ”+” as well as ”-,” to conduct a ”cross-classification” examination to identify if the relationship between the ”Te-clause” and the ”main clause” is ”+parallel” or ”-parallel” and if they may (”+independent subject”) or may not (”-independent subject”) take an ”independent subject.” Based on the results of the examination, we propose that the ”Te-clause” functioning as an ”adverbial clause” can be classified into four types: ”simultaneous parallel,” ”sequential continuation,” ”causal continuation,” and ”contrast parallel.”