Introduction to Japanese Linguistics (in English)
In this course, we will explore the structure and usage of Japanese through speech and text samples from media, entertainment, and everyday communication. We will analyze speech sounds (phonetics/phonology), word formation (morphology), sentence formation (syntax), and larger structures (discourse), alongside current research on vocabulary (lexicon) and meaning (semantics). Students will develop problem-solving and reasoning skills by applying linguistic theories to various data, learning to formulate research questions and support arguments with evidence. Through comparing Japanese with English and other languages, students will engage in discussions about the similarities and differences among diverse human communication systems. This course is taught in English; no Japanese or linguistics knowledge is required. 3 hrs. lect./disc.