Daily syllabus

This syllabus is updated after each day's class.
Use it to keep track of what we've done and where we're going.
See also the schedule of topics for a general overview.

• Jump to the most recent date

[01] Tu Aug 23

• Covered:
  • Course information; Introduction to Japanese and linguistics
    • Handout - Course description and policies
    • Handout - Basic background: Japanese and linguistics
  • Phonetics of Japanese vowels
• Reading: See course Sakai site for more information (under Resources > Readings) | Sakai site is now up! E-mail Jen if you don't have access.
  • Backhouse (1994), ch 1 [optional] -- Overview reading about Japan
  • Hayes (2009), ch 1 -- Phonetics
    • Handout - Articulatory phonetics: Basics for Japanese (to be used as reading guide and for class discussion on Thurs)
    • Sound files illustrating vowels that are mentioned on the "Articulatory phonetics..." handout are on the Sakai site (Resources > Sound files > 1. Vowel examples)
• Prepare: Please test your web browser for compliance with Japanese fonts, and try out the kana charts

[02] Th Aug 25

• Covered: Spelling vs. transcription; Vocal tract; Phonetics of Japanese consonants
  • Handout - Context: Phonetics and phonology
  • Online - Vowel X-ray video (Ladefoged, UCLA)
  • Online - Interactive vocal-tract diagram for consonants (Hall, U Toronto)
  • Handout - Phonetic symbols - Reference charts for Japanese
  • Sound files illustrating the consonants of Japanese are available on the Sakai site (Resources > Sound files > 2. Consonant examples)
• Assignment: Homework assignment #1 (PDF), due Tu Aug 30
  • Sound files needed for this assignment are available on Sakai (Resources > Files for assignments > HW #1 sound files)
  • Use the online kana chart

[03] Tu Aug 30

• Covered: Introduction to phonological analysis
  • Handout - Phonemes, allophones, and complementary distribution
  • Data set - Voiceless vowels
  • Data set - Syllable-final nasals
• Prepare: Determine the distribution of the sounds in this data set
  • Data set - Bilabial, palatal, and glottal fricatives
• Reading: Optional advanced reading for more about voiceless vowels
  • Tsuchida (2001) [available through a UNC connection]

[04] Th Sept 1

• Covered: More on the phoneme categories of Japanese
  • Data set - Bilabial, palatal, and glottal fricatives [posted last class]
  • Data set - Syllable-final nasals [posted last class]
• Prepare: By now you should be solid on phonetic symbols and properties; if you are not, spend time before Tuesday's class reviewing
  • Data set - Alveolar/alveo-palatal obstruents in Japanese, part (I) -- will be discussed in class on Tuesday and is needed for the homework assignment
• Assignment: Homework assignment #2 (PDF), due Tu Sept 6
• Alternative assignment: Also due Tu Sept 6 | Required for linguistics graduate students
  • Read Itô & Mester (1999), "The Phonological Lexicon"
  • Answer the discussion questions
  • Note: This alternative assignment may also be chosen by anyone who has completed LING 523 or LING 200 (or otherwise has knowledge of Optimality Theory)

[05] Tu Sept 6

• Covered: More on the phoneme categories of Japanese
  • Practice with phonological analysis (HW#2)
  • Optional rules (Data set - Alveolars/alveopalatals (I))
  • Generalizing phonological rules (HW#2)
• Prepare: Data set - Alveolar/alveo-palatal obstruents in Japanese, part (II)
  • Work through this data set on your own -- determine what aspects are incompatible with the analysis of alveolar/alveopalatal obstruents we have developed in class so far
  • Consider the approach we proposed for Part II of the data set on bilabial, palatal, and glottal fricatives -- Will this approach work here? Why or why not?

[06] Th Sept 8

• Covered: Phoneme analysis -- Complex cases
  • Data set - Alveolar/alveo-palatal obstruents [posted Tu Sept 6]
  • Handout - A more advanced analysis: Alveolar obstruents (log into Sakai to access this)
• Reading: See course Sakai site for more information (Resources > Readings)
  • Tsujimura (2007), "Mora vs. syllable"
• FYI: This handout summarizes our analysis of segmental (consonant and vowel) phonology in Japanese; review this and ask any remaining questions in class on Tuesday
  • Handout - Segmental phonology in Japanese: Summary (log into Sakai to access this)
• Prepare: Work through the following data set, using what you have learned from the Tsujimura reading, to prepare for class discussion
  • Data set - Mora structure in Japanese

[07] Tu Sept 13

• Covered: Prosodic structure: Moras and syllables
  • Data set - Mora structure in Japanese [posted Th Sept 8]
  • Handout - Prosodic structure in Japanese
• Reading: Backhouse (1994), ch 2 excerpt on accent and intonation (see Sakai: Resources > Readings)
  • Only pp 28-31 are required; the rest of this reading is optional
• Assignment: Homework assignment #3 (PDF), due Th Sept 15
  • For this assignment, you will need to download and install Praat
  • Handout - Praat: Installation and basic functions
  • See Sakai for sound files needed for this assignment (Resources > Files for assignments > HW #3 sound files)
• Prepare: EXAM #1 is on Tu Sept 20 in class
  • Study guide -- you will have a chance to ask questions on Thursday

[08] Th Sept 15

• Covered:
  • Discussion of HW #3: Prosodic structure, review of segmental phonology, introduction to pitch accent
  • Review for Exam #1
  • More about pitch accent
    • Handout - Pitch accent in Japanese
    • Data set - Mora structure in Japanese [posted Th Sept 8]
• Prepare: EXAM #1 is on Tu Sept 20 in class
  • Study guide
• FYI: Here is how you can get feedback on HW #3:
  • We have discussed the answers in class
  • The papers will be graded by Monday; you are welcome to stop by and pick up your paper
  • I will (attempt to) post the HW #3 scores to the Sakai "PostEm" gradebook

[09] Tu Sept 20

• EXAM #1

[10] Th Sept 22

• Covered:
  • Introduction to morphology
    • Handout - Morphology: Introduction
  • Adjective morphology
    • Data set - Adjective morphology
• Prepare: Work through this data set and prepare for class discussion
  • Data set - Verb morphology
  • Note that some aspects of this data set require phonological analysis as well as morphological analysis

[11] Tu Sept 27

• Covered: Verb morphology (and phonology)
  • Data set - Verb morphology [posted Th Sept 22]
• Assignment: Homework assignment #4 (PDF), due Th Sept 29
• Prepare: We will finish discussing the verb data set next time
  • We have accounted for almost all patterns; on your own, try considering whether the /k/ and /g/ verbs can be incorporated into any of the other patterns

[12] Th Sept 29

• Covered: Verb morphology (and phonology), cont.
  • Data set - Verb morphology [posted Th Sept 22]
  • Data set - Irregular verbs
  • Handout - Adjective and verb morphology: Further issues
  • Handout - Adjective and verb inflection: Summary
• Prepare: We will discuss the following handout and data set next time; you may want to have a look at these ahead of time
  • Handout - Word classes (syntactic categories) in Japanese
  • Data set - Google data: Word classes in Japanese

[13] Tu Oct 4

• Covered:
  • Word class diagnostics
    • Handout - Word classes (syntactic categories) in Japanese [posted Th 9/29]
    • Data set - Google data: Word classes in Japanese [posted Th 9/29]
    • Data set - Supplementary Google data on N, AN
  • Rendaku: morphology interacting with phonology
    • Data set - Compounds and rendaku
• Prepare: Try to come up with an analysis for example (9) in part III of the rendaku handout; we'll discuss on Thursday
• Reading: O'Grady et al. (2010), ch 5 -- Syntax; focus on sections 1.2 to the end of this excerpt (see Sakai: Resources > Readings)
  • We will go over the important concepts in class starting on Thursday, but be sure to do this reading if you have never had a linguistics class before (and review it even if you have had one)

[14] Th Oct 6

• Covered: Introduction to syntax: Hierarchical structure, constituency, and X-bar theory
  • Rendaku and evidence for hierarchical structure in morphology
  • Handout - Syntax: Basics of X-bar theory
• Prepare: Practice drawing X-bar trees for these sentences
  • Data set - Practice with tree structures
• Reading: Review the O'Grady et al. reading; focus on sections 2.1-2.3 (see Sakai: Resources > Readings)

[15] Tu Oct 11

• Covered: X-bar syntax in Japanese: Basics, subcategorization, null pronouns
  • Drawing sentence-structure trees for Japanese sentences
    • Handout - Syntax: Basics of X-bar theory [posted Th Oct 6]
    • Data set - Practice with tree structures [posted Th Oct 6]
  • "Complement options" (subcategorization) and null pronouns
    • Handout - Subcategorization and null pronouns
• Reading: Two short readings on thematic roles and case marking
  • Santorini & Kroch (2007-) on thematic roles
  • Koizumi (2008), "Nominative object" -- the following sections only (see Sakai: Resources > Readings)
    • section 6.1 (all)
    • section 6.2: read 6.2.1, 6.2.2, 6.2.4
• Alternative/Grad-student assignment: Due Tu Oct 18 | This is the grad-student assignment that replaces Homework #4-5 (regular Homework #5 will be assigned next time)
  • Read Noguchi (1997), "Two types of pronouns and variable binding" [available through a UNC connection]
  • Answer the discussion questions

[16] Th Oct 13

• Covered: Thematic (θ) roles; case; nominative objects
  • Handout - Thematic roles and case marking
• Prepare: Try drawing trees for the sentences on this data set, and be prepared to discuss the questions and complications that arise
  • Data set - Word-order variation
• Assignment: Homework assignment #5 (PDF), due Tu Oct 18
  • Linguistics graduate students should do Alternative assignment #5 [posted Tu Oct 11]

[17] Tu Oct 18

• Covered: Evidence for configurationality
  • Data set - Word-order variation [posted Th Oct 13]
  • Handout - Word order: Configurationality and "scrambling"
• Prepare: To prepare for class discussion, have a look at this handout, and in particular see if you can work out an answer to question (11) at the end
  • Handout - Numeral quantifiers and syntactic structure
• Upcoming: EXAM #2 is on Th Oct 27 in class
  • Study guide -- you will have a chance to ask questions and choose review topics in next Tuesday's class

Th Oct 20

No class -- Fall Break

[18] Tu Oct 25

• Covered: Syntax wrap-up and exam review
  • Handout - Numeral quantifiers and syntactic structure [posted Tu Oct 18]
  • Optional (advanced syntax) reading for more about NQs: Watanabe (2006), "Functional projections of nominals in Japanese: Syntax of classifiers" [available through a UNC connection]
• Upcoming: EXAM #2 is on Th Oct 27 in class
  • Study guide

[19] Th Oct 27

• EXAM #2
• FYI: Final project information and resources

[20] Tu Nov 1

• Covered: Final project information; project topics; how to design a quantitative project
  • Final project information and resources web page
• Assignment: Article summary is due Tu Nov 8
  • Grading criteria
  • For more information, see final project information handout

[21] Th Nov 3

• Covered: Sociolinguistics: In-group/out-group; give/receive verbs; SSS; honorifics
  • Data set - Predicates of giving and receiving
  • Handout - Verbs of giving/receiving
  • Handout - Dimensions of politeness in Japanese
• Assignment: Article summary is due Tu Nov 8
  • Grading criteria
  • For more information, see final project information handout

[22] Tu Nov 8

• Covered: Sociolinguistics: Language and gender
  • Handout - Language, gender, status, and power
  • Optional readings: For more background on today's discussion
    • Ide & Yoshida (1999), "Sociolinguistics: Honorifics and gender differences" [available as e-book at UNC; see chapter 16]
    • Okamoto & Shibamoto-Smith, eds. (2004) -- many articles on gender identity and language use [available as e-book at UNC]
• Reading: Sections 1 and 2 ONLY of Heycock (2008)
• Assignment: Homework assignment #6(a), due Th Nov 10
  • Note: HW #6 will come in several small parts, to be turned in separately
• Upcoming: Project proposal is due Tu Nov 15
  • Grading criteria
  • For more information, see final project information handout

[23] Th Nov 10

• Covered: The topic marker -wa
  • Data set - Examples of phrases marked with -wa
  • Handout - About the "particle" -wa
  • Optional reading (in Japanese): For more background on today's discussion
    • Masuoka (1993) (see Sakai: Resources > Readings)
      • The original article, scanned
      • Text file version (allows copy/paste into JDIC dictionary) -- partially complete
      • Vocabulary list and comments -- partially complete
• Assignment: Project proposal is due Tu Nov 15
  • Grading criteria
  • For more information, see final project information handout

[24] Tu Nov 15

• Covered: Tense and aspect in Japanese (versus English)
  • Handout - Tense, aspect, and verb classes
• Prepare: To prepare for class discussion on Thursday
  • Data set - Portuguese missionary materials: ESOPO NO FABVLAS
    Context: This is an excerpt from one of a set of books published by Portuguese missionaries, using a romanized spelling system. The way these books represent Japanese on the basis of Portuguese spelling conventions gives us some insight into how Japanese was pronounced at the time (late 1500s).

[25] Th Nov 17

• Covered: Historical linguistics of Japanese
  • Data set - Portuguese missionary materials: ESOPO NO FABVLAS [posted Tu Nov 15]
  • Handout - Historical linguistics: Phonology (part 1)
  • Handout - Historical linguistics: Phonology (part 2)
  • See also Wikipedia page on man'yoogana
• Reading: Shibatani (1990), ch 5, "Genetic affiliation" (see Sakai: Resources > Readings)
• Assignment: Homework assignment #6(b), due Tu Nov 22
  • Note: HW #6 will come in several small parts, to be turned in separately
• FYI: I have collected some links to online corpus resources for Japanese, which might be useful for some of your projects. Note that I have not checked these over thoroughly and cannot vouch for their usefulness.

[26] Tu Nov 22

• Covered: On the genetic affiliation of Japanese
  • Discussion of Shibatani reading
    WALS maps of Fujioka's "characteristic features of Ural-Altaic languages"
    • (a) Complexity of syllable structure
    • (d) Articles
    • (e) Grammatical gender distinctions
    • (m) Question particles
    • (o) SOV word order
  • Handout - Language relationships and comparative reconstruction
• Upcoming: Be working on your final projects
  • If you are interested in participating in the native-speaker exchange, send me your finalized materials and I will put you in contact with native speakers
  • I am happy to take a look at finalized materials design for other types of project also
  • Now posted (linked from final-project info page): Paper-writing tips for linguistics
  • [MON NOV 28] Now posted (linked from final-project info page): Grading criteria for presentation and paper

Th Nov 24

No class -- Thanksgiving

[27] Tu Nov 29

• Covered: Language varieties and language change in Modern Japanese
  • Online resources - Modern Japanese dialects
  • Handout - Dialects of Modern Japanese
  • Handout - Ra-nuki: A change in progress
• Assignment: Homework assignment #6(c) (last one!), due Th Dec 1
  • Next class we will watch a video clip that lets us bring together various points of Japanese structure and use that we have been discussing in the final section of the course
  • For HW #6(c):
    • Download the transcript of this video clip
    • Choose any three of (a)-(e) in the box at the top
    • Find three (interestingly different) examples of each category, and briefly discuss them in the context of the points raised in the box
• Upcoming: Be working on your final projects

[28] Th Dec 1

• Covered: "Duomo" video clip -- Japanese language in context
  • Transcript [posted Tu Nov 29]
• Upcoming: Be working on your final projects

[29] Tu Dec 6

• Covered: Presentations, Round 1
• Upcoming: Final exam period is Tu Dec 13, 4:00-7:00pm
  • Final papers are due (by e-mail or on paper)
  • Presentations, Round 2 -- remember to submit slides in advance (or bring JS a printout)

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