JPN322 Theories on the Japanese language

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Jiří Matela, M.A., Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Jiří Matela, M.A., Ph.D.
Department of Japanese Studies – Asia Studies Centre – Faculty of Arts
Supplier department: Department of Japanese Studies – Asia Studies Centre – Faculty of Arts
Prerequisites
JPN221 Japanese language IV - Theory && JPN222 Japanese language IV-Practice
Courses JPN221 and JPN222
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The goal of the course is to introduce students to basic methodologies of linguistic description with referenc to various plans of modern Japanese language. Students acquire knowledge of principles of lexical, phonetic, phonological, morphological and syntactic analysis from the functional-structuralist perspective of linguistic forms.
Learning outcomes
At the end of the course students will be able to:
describe the systém of modern Japanese language;
explain basic linguistic phenomenons on the samples of Japanese;
apply their previous language skills to a metalinguistic analysis of the modern Japanese language;
formulate simple definitions of basic grammatical categories;
judge the relevance of various linguistic theories for the need of describing a linguistic reality.
Syllabus
  • Block 1:
    Outline of language and linguistics studies
    Lexicon of modern Japanese (goi)
  • Block 2:
    Phonetics: Sounds of modern Japanese (onsei)
    Exercise of phonetics
  • Block 3:
    Phonology: System of sounds and principles of phonology (on'in-ron)
    Exercise of phonology
  • Block 4:
    Morphology: Structure of words and word-formation (keitai-ron)
    Parts of speech in modern Japanese (hinshi bunrui)
  • Block 5:
    Syntax of modern Japanese (tōgo-ron)
    Exercise of morphology and syntax
Literature
    recommended literature
  • KOIKE, Seiji. Úvod do gramatiky moderní japonštiny. V Tribunu EU vyd. 1. Brno: Tribun EU, 2010, 237 s. ISBN 9788073990503. info
  • O podstatě japonského jazyka. Watanabe, M. Praha, Karolinum, 2008
  • The Languages of Japan. Shibatani, M. Cambridge University Press, 1990.
    not specified
  • An Introduction to Japanese Linguistics. Tsujimura, N. New York, Blackwell Publishing, 1996.
  • The Handbook of Japanese Linguistics. Tsujimura, N. (ed.) New York, Blackwell Publishing, 1999.
  • Politeness strategies in cross-cultural perspective. Barešová I. Olomouc, Univerzita Palackého, 2008.
  • Keigo wa kowakunai. Inoue, F. Tokyo, Kodansha, 1999.
  • The Japanese Copula, Forms and Functions. Narahara, T. New York, Palgrave Macmillan, 2002.
  • Nihongogaku kīwādo jiten. Koike, S. a kol. Tokyo, Asakura shoten, 1997.
Teaching methods
Lecture, work with secondary literature, exercise in linguistic analysis.
Assessment methods
Oral exam:
Identification of Japanese linguistic terms - 20 %
Explanation of selected linguistic terms in context - 50 %
Linguistic analysis of a text - 30 %
Attendance of at least 70 % of classes is required.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
General note: Opakovaný zápis předmětu je možný na základě žádosti o výjimku, kterou musí schválit vyučující.
Information on course enrolment limitations: Zápis mimo japanistiku je podmíněn souhlasem vyučujícího
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2025, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2025/JPN322