The purposes of this course are two-fold. First, the student will gain knowledge of Japanese
linguistics and analytical skills by comparing Japanese and English structures that helps them improve their language proficiencies in many areas (phonetics, phonology, semantics and syntax, pragmatics). Second, the student will obtain Japanese sociolinguistic knowledge and language acquisition, raise his/her/their awareness of language variations, and understand the process of engaging in corpus research.
1. Linguistic Knowledge and Awareness
a. Develop an understanding of key structural features of Japanese (e.g., phonetics, phonology, syntax, morphology, pragmatics etc) and how they compare to English. b. Demonstrate awareness of variation in Japanese usage based on register, social context, and speaker identity. c. Recognize patterns of Japanese discourse in various communicative settings, including formal interviews, classroom interactions, business meetings, and casual conversations.
2. Sociolinguistic and Pragmatic Competence
a. Examine how Japanese speakers use language in different social and institutional contexts, with attention to politeness, gendered language, and honorifics. b. Analyze how Japanese reflects and constructs social relationships, identities, and power dynamics. c. Compare and contrast how Japanese speakers interact across a range of settings—including business meetings, phone conversations, teacher–student interactions, formal interviews (e.g., ACTFL OPI), and casual conversations with friends or family.
3. Corpus and Empirical Research Literacy
a. Read and critically evaluate empirical studies in Japanese sociolinguistics and corpus linguistics. b. Develop the ability to interpret linguistic data drawn from naturalistic sources, including spoken corpora and manga/dialogue scripts. c. Apply basic corpus analysis techniques to investigate a specific research question related to Japanese language use.
4. Critical Thinking and Research Skills
a. Identify a research question of interest in the field of Japanese applied linguistics. b. Gather and synthesize relevant literature to situate the question within the broader scholarly conversation. c. Design and conduct a small-scale empirical project using corpus or discourse data. d. Evaluate the strengths and limitations of the study and propose implications for language teaching or further research.
5. Academic Writing and Communication
a. Compose clear and coherent analytical papers that integrate theoretical concepts with linguistic evidence. b. Use appropriate terminology and citation practices in applied linguistics. c. Revise work based on feedback and reflect on the development of analytical and writing skills throughout the course.
Introduction to Japanese Linguistics by Natsuko Tsujimura
「中納言を活用したコーパス日本語研究入門」中俣尚己著 among others
All materials are available on Canvas.
Grading policy:
Weekly Homework: 15% of final grade
Exam 1: 15% of final grade
Exam 2: 15% of final grade
Exam 3: 15% of final grade
Article Presentation: 5% of final grade
Final Paper Portfolio: 25% of final grade
Participation: 10% of final grade
**1% extra credit will be awarded to all students if at least 90% of the class completes the CIOS evaluations at the end of the course.
Please do not tell me whether you completed it—your response must remain confidential. **0.5% extra credit will be given if you participate in a Japanese program event. I will announce which event qualifies at the beginning of class. **Grade distribution is the same for both JPN 4780/6080 students.
A: 90–100 Superior performance—demonstrates advanced understanding of key concepts in Japanese applied linguistics. Work shows original insight, critical engagement with course materials, accurate use of linguistic terminology, and clear, well-supported analysis. Assignments are consistently well-organized, thoroughly researched, and free of major errors.
B: 80–89 Above-average performance—strong understanding of course concepts and solid application of linguistic frameworks. Work demonstrates clarity, coherence, and appropriate use of terminology and examples, though may lack the depth or originality of A-level work. Minor errors may be present but do not impede comprehension.
C: 70–79 Average performance—demonstrates basic understanding of concepts and generally acceptable application of course content. Analysis may be somewhat underdeveloped or uneven, but the work meets minimum expectations. Errors and unclear expression may occasionally interfere with meaning.
D: 60–69 Below-average performance—shows limited understanding of course concepts and insufficient engagement with materials. Work may be incomplete, disorganized, or frequently inaccurate, requiring significant improvement in content, structure, and/or clarity.
F: 0–59 Unacceptable performance—fails to demonstrate understanding of key course concepts or to meet assignment requirements. Lacks coherence, sufficient effort, or adherence to academic standards.
Students are expected to come to class fully prepared and actively participate in all activities (e.g., pair work, leading discussions). Failure to do so will negatively affect the class performance grade. Students are allowed up to two unexcused absences without penalty. You will get zero (o) points for any class session you miss starting at the 3rd absence regardless of the reasons. You are expect to come to class on time. Class performance grades will be assessed according to the following scale:
3 – Student is well prepared and fully engaged. 2 – Student is not fully prepared or not fully participating. 1 – Student is inattentive or distracted. 0 – Student is absent.
You are expect to come to class on time. Arriving more than 20 minutes late or leaving more than 20 minutes early will be counted as one absence. At the same time, Georgia Tech’s official rules and regulations will be observed (see: http://www.catalog.gatech.edu/rules/4), including excused absences for official university activities, religious observances, funerals, jury duty, and other documented events. If you are missing class for Institute excuse reasons (e.g. athletics and academic competitions), please fill out an official form, and submit it to me AND the Registrar’s Office. The instructor will be notified by email if the absence is approved. Request should be submitted at least 2 weeks prior to the event.
One serious kind of academic misconduct is plagiarism, which occurs when a writer, speaker, or designer deliberately uses someone else’s language, ideas, images, or other original material or code without fully acknowledging its source by quotation marks as appropriate, in footnotes or endnotes, in works cited, and in other ways as appropriate (modified from WPA Statement on “Defining and Avoiding Plagiarism”). If you engage in plagiarism or any other form of academic misconduct, you will fail the assignment in which you have engaged in academic misconduct and be referred to the Office of Student Integrity, as required by Georgia Tech policy. We strongly urge you to be familiar with these Georgia Tech sites: Honor Challenge — https://osi.gatech.edu/students/honor-code Office of Student Integrity — http://www.osi.gatech.edu/index.php/
This is a Core IMPACTS course that is part of the Writing area. Core IMPACTS refers to the core curriculum, which provides students with essential knowledge in foundational academic areas. This course will help master course content, and support students’ broad academic and career goals. This course should direct students toward a broad Orienting Question: How do I write effectively in different contexts? Completion of this course should enable students to meet the following Learning Outcomes: Students will communicate effectively in writing, demonstrating clear organization and structure, using appropriate grammar and writing conventions. Students will appropriately acknowledge the use of materials from original sources. Students will adapt their written communications to purpose and audience. Students will analyze and draw informed inferences from written texts. Course content, activities and exercises in this course should help students develop the following Career-Ready Competencies: Critical Thinking Information Literacy Persuasion