Paper short abstract:

The phrase "X no-Naka-no X (= X in X)", like "Otoko no-Naka-no Otoko (= man in men) " means not a prototype X but a "desirable" X. By this phenomena, I would like to point out the existence of the "desirability" subjectivity.

Paper long abstract:

I would like to consider the phrase "X no-Naka-no X (= X in X)", like "Otoko no-Naka-no Otoko (= a man in men) ". From the point of view of prototype semantics, each member is not equal in a category, because the sub-category or the individual who has the most features characterizing the relevant category are located in the center of this category, whereas other sub-categories or individuals who have fewer features are forced to be positioned in the border area. For example, sparrows and pigeons are located in the center of the category "bird", but chickens and ostriches are pushed in the periphery. However, "Suzume ha Tori no-Naka-no Tori da (= Sparrows are bird in birds)" is unnatural, whereas "Swans are bird in birds " is quite natural. This indicates that X should not be a ordinary sub-category or an ordinary individual, but an excellent sub-category or an excellent individual. On the other hand, X should not be a negative one, but a positive one. For example, "Dorobou no-Naka-no Dorobou (= thief in thieves) and "Saigai no-Naka-no Saigai (= disaster in disasters)" aren't natural, whereas "Shuusai no-Naka-no Shuusai (= brilliant in brilliants)" is quite natural. However, it is remarkable that, even for negative X, it also becomes natural if you attach a context to honor it. For example, "Arsene Lupin ha Dorobou no-Naka-no Dorobou da (= Arsene Lupin is a thief in thieves)". Everything leads to conclude that "X no-Naka-no X" means not a prototype X but a "desirable" X. I would like to add that X also indicate a desirable X in the English and French phrases, "king of kings", or "rois des rois (= "king of kings")". The research on modality so far has been interested in "probability of an event" indicated for example by auxilary verbs like may, must etc., or by sentence adverbs like perhaps, probably, etc., but, beside this "probability" subjectivity, there is another one that has the same importance : "desirability". There are many phenomena that can be explained by this "desirability" subjectivity hypothesis.