Linguistics and Communication Studies

22 August 2017 Last updated

Overview of the course

Rather than a mere means of communication to convey concepts and messages to another party, “language” is also closely related to culture and human cognition, thinking and customs. This course seeks for an effective method of teaching Japanese as a second language based on comparative and contrastive analysis related to language structure and language usage. Language and cultural analysis and methodologies are developed for second language acquisition and translation/interpretation, and we are working on solving the problems of cross-cultural communication, which is becoming essential with the progress of globalization. This course aims to train human resources who have education and research abilities through various lectures and exercises related to verbal communication leading from basic to advanced levels.

Students’ research themes	Master’s program: Modality in Thai, Fillers in Japanese and French, Rhetoric, Persuasion, Words written in Katakana, Translation of onomatopoeia in comics, Bilingualism, Social aspect of Japanese language education, etc. Doctoral program: Compound verbs, Rhetoric of fiction, Translation of Japanese literature in Vietnam, Contrastive study of verbs in Japanese and Chinese,Acquisition of L2 morphosyntax, Historical study of Japanese language education.
Teaching staff	Naoe KAWAKAMI, Lecturer Subjects: Special lecture on applied teaching Japanese. Research fields: My research field is the historical study of Japanese language education. In particular,I am interested in the historical progress of Japanese language education in China. I currently analyze educational materials and curriculum, etc., based on the history and social systems in China from the 1930s to 60s. I am also concerned with the practice research on Japanese language education. Miho SAITO, Associate Professor Subjects: Special lecture on means of teaching Japanese. Research fields: I am currently researching modern Japanese grammar, including regional dialects.In addition, I have a strong interest in the field of teaching/learning Japanese as a foreign/second language. I am planning to carry out researches on teaching methods and coursework of Japanese based on the result of the research on Japanese grammar and my own practice of teaching Japanese. Junko TANAKA, Professor Subjects: Special lecture on second language acquisition (SLA) theory. Research fields: Her research interests include the role of feedback and output in SLA processes andthe role of individual differences in SLA such as age, language aptitude, and motivation. Her current research project deals with how a concept in a second language (L2) that does not exist in the learners’first language (L1) can be correctly or incorrectly segmented and mapped onto L2 morphology. She is also interested in classroom SLA as well as SLA in naturalistic or multilingual contexts. Sooyun PARK, Lecturer Subjects: Teaching Japanese as a Second Language (Content). Research fields: Her research interests focus on modern Japanese language, especially the adverbs. Currently, her research also deals with grammatical studies for Japanese education. She is also interested in the heritage language in immigrant societies. Fumiko FUJINAMI, Professor Subjects: Special lecture on translation studies. Research fields: The main themes are general practical theories on using translation for intercultural communication, and how to adapt it in detail to actual translation (especially between Japanese,German and English). I also have a keen interest in how to realize translations across cultural differences, and what effect the audience, media and goal have on translation work. Hideo YUASA, Professor Subjects: Special lecture on forms of commonly used words. Research fields: I am interested in what sort of syntax is preferred in Japanese and English, German etc.What effect it has on a native speaker’s thought process, and what purpose it serves in communication.Another goal is a typology-based look at the similarities and shared points between languages. Koichi YONEMOTO, Professor Subjects: Special lecture on Rhetorical Communication Theory. Research fields: I am interested in the uses of figures of speech (rhetoric) to convey thoughts and emotions effectively. I deal with anything that uses words to express something, such as daily conversation, newspapers, magazines, advertisements and so forth. I particularly have an interest in the rhetoric used in literature, especially fictional works.

Students’ research themes

Master’s program: Modality in Thai, Fillers in Japanese and French, Rhetoric, Persuasion, Words written in Katakana, Translation of onomatopoeia in comics, Bilingualism, Social aspect of Japanese language education, etc.

Doctoral program: Compound verbs, Rhetoric of fiction, Translation of Japanese literature in Vietnam, Contrastive study of verbs in Japanese and Chinese,Acquisition of L2 morphosyntax, Historical study of Japanese language education.

Teaching staff

Naoe KAWAKAMI, Lecturer
Subjects: Special lecture on applied teaching Japanese.
Research fields: My research field is the historical study of Japanese language education. In particular,I am interested in the historical progress of Japanese language education in China. I currently analyze educational materials and curriculum, etc., based on the history and social systems in China from the 1930s to 60s. I am also concerned with the practice research on Japanese language education.

Miho SAITO, Associate Professor
Subjects: Special lecture on means of teaching Japanese.
Research fields: I am currently researching modern Japanese grammar, including regional dialects.In addition, I have a strong interest in the field of teaching/learning Japanese as a foreign/second language. I am planning to carry out researches on teaching methods and coursework of Japanese based on the result of the research on Japanese grammar and my own practice of teaching Japanese.

Junko TANAKA, Professor
Subjects: Special lecture on second language acquisition (SLA) theory.
Research fields: Her research interests include the role of feedback and output in SLA processes andthe role of individual differences in SLA such as age, language aptitude, and motivation. Her current research project deals with how a concept in a second language (L2) that does not exist in the learners’first language (L1) can be correctly or incorrectly segmented and mapped onto L2 morphology. She is also interested in classroom SLA as well as SLA in naturalistic or multilingual contexts.

Sooyun PARK, Lecturer
Subjects: Teaching Japanese as a Second Language (Content).
Research fields: Her research interests focus on modern Japanese language, especially the adverbs. Currently, her research also deals with grammatical studies for Japanese education. She is also interested in the heritage language in immigrant societies.

Fumiko FUJINAMI, Professor
Subjects: Special lecture on translation studies.
Research fields: The main themes are general practical theories on using translation for intercultural communication, and how to adapt it in detail to actual translation (especially between Japanese,German and English). I also have a keen interest in how to realize translations across cultural differences, and what effect the audience, media and goal have on translation work.

Hideo YUASA, Professor
Subjects: Special lecture on forms of commonly used words.
Research fields: I am interested in what sort of syntax is preferred in Japanese and English, German etc.What effect it has on a native speaker’s thought process, and what purpose it serves in communication.Another goal is a typology-based look at the similarities and shared points between languages.

Koichi YONEMOTO, Professor
Subjects: Special lecture on Rhetorical Communication Theory.
Research fields: I am interested in the uses of figures of speech (rhetoric) to convey thoughts and emotions effectively. I deal with anything that uses words to express something, such as daily conversation, newspapers, magazines, advertisements and so forth. I particularly have an interest in the rhetoric used in literature, especially fictional works.