Constructions with benefactive verbs “yaru, morau, kureru” are commonly known for
expressing “the movement of position and ownership”. This paper indicates some problems
concerning the notion of “movement” in benefactive constructions, and attempts to extract
particular semantic features by means of observing examples.
Putting stress on “yaru, kureru, morau” construtions with abstract object such as “Kare wa
watashi ni yuki o kureta” (Lit. “He gave me courage”), I claim that it is more proper to speak about
the “change (not “movement”) of position and ownership” as far as benefactive constructions are
concerned.