This course will concentrate on the Japanese pitch accent system. Pitch accent in Japanese plays a relatively small role in distinguishing words with different meanings from each other. There are even areas in Japan where pitch accent distinctions have disappeared, and this has not made the language less intelligible. It is nevertheless good to develop and understanding of how pitch acction functions in words and phrases, and what different types of systems exist in the Japanese dialects. Although the origin of the system is not completely clear, it goes back far in time and one of the most interesting aspects of pitch accent is that it may tell us more about the prehistory of the language, and the ways in which it spread through the Japanese islands. Later on in the course, additional topics may be treated based on the interests of the participants. Classes consist of a combination of lectures, presentations of assignments, and discussions. Students are required to read all the materials assigned for the day before coming to class, actively participate in discussions and presentations. Evaluation will be based on participation, an (individual or pair) presentation, and an essay or final written test.
| Voraussetzungen: | abgeschlossener einschlägiger B.A. |
| Literaturhinweise: | The articles and/or book chapters to be read for class will be posted on Moodle. |
The classes will be held on Zoom, Tuesdays 16:00 to 18:00.
For questions, and for the Zoom invitation, please contact me at elisabeth.boer@rub.de
- Kursleiter/in: Elisabeth M. Boer
Semester: ST 2024