Making Sense of Japanese Grammar: A Clear Guide through Common Problems

by Zeljko Cipris, Shoko Hamano

Overview

Making Sense of Japanese Grammar explains in a lively and highly informative manner basic principles that underlie a wide range of phenomena in Japanese. Students—irrespective of proficiency level and linguistic training—will find clarification on matters of grammar that often seem idiosyncratic and Japanese-specific, such as avoiding the use of certain pronouns, employing the same word order for questions, hidden subjects, polite and direct forms.

Organized for easy access and readability, Making Sense of Japanese Grammar consists of short units, each focused on explaining a distinct problem and illustrated with a wealth of examples. To further enhance their usefulness, the units are cross-referenced and contain brief comprehension exercises to test and apply newly acquired knowledge. A glossary and keys to the exercises are at the back of the book.

This volume may be used as a supplementary classroom reading or a helpful reference for students of all levels. Both students and instructors, even those trained in linguistics, will find its accessible explanations of grammatical concepts helpful.

Grounded in sound scholarship and extensive teaching experience, Making Sense of Japanese Grammar brings a fresh and liberating perspective to the study of Japanese.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780824824976
Publisher:	University of Hawaii Press, The
Publication date:	01/01/2002
Edition description:	Bilingual
Pages:	216
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Zeljko (Jake) Cipris is assistant professor of Japanese at the University of the Pacific, Stockton.

Table of Contents

	Acknowledgments	ix
	Introduction	xi
Part 1.	Grammatical Categories and the Basic Architecture of a Sentence	1
1	The subject corresponds to an item around which an event evolves	3
2	Use the verb at the end!	5
3	An explicit subject is optional	6
4	Pay attention to the last part of a sentence	7
5	There are three types of verb-like constituents	9
6	The noun in the sentence gakusei-desu is not the subject!	11
7	Japanese speakers avoid certain pronouns	13
8	You cannot always guess the grammatical category of a Japanese form from the grammatical category of its English counterpart	15
9	Dictionary forms of all Japanese adjectives end with -ii, -ai, -oi, or -ui	16
10	"Noun" is an open category in Japanese	17
11	Use the same word order for questions. Attach -ka to a statement to turn it into a question	19
12	Do not hesitate to use the same verb over and over again	22
13	Japanese particles are postpositions	23
14	Classification of particles	25
Part 2.	Phrase Particles: Marking the Functions of Noun Phrases in a Sentence	29
15	A phrase particle determines the function of the noun	31
16	The particle -wa identifies what the sentence is about and urges the listener to pay attention to the part that follows	33
17	The particle -mo adds the preceding noun phrase to a list of objects	36
18	Use of -wa and -mo presupposes a contextual set	38
19	-ga is the subject marker; -o is the direct object marker	40
20	-ga and -o mark a fresh participant; -wa marks a familiar participant already anchored in a context	43
21	Do not attach -wa to interrogative WH-phrases	46
22	Only one direct object particle -o appears per verb	48
23	The subject and the direct object are the primary grammatical categories	50
24	Two types of locational particles: -de and -ni	53
25	Three reasons not to use phrase particles	57
26	"Exceptional" uses of -ga	60
27	Grammatical reasons for alternations of particles	64
28	The person marked with the particle -ni is an active participant in an interaction	66
29	The person marked with the particle -to is a "reciprocal" participant in an interaction	71
30	Certain auxiliary verbs take the non-subject participant particle -ni	73
31	The auxiliary verb-morau comes with -ni; the auxiliary verbs -ageru and -kureru do not	76
32	Another consequence of the double-o constraint	79
33	Phrase particles are powerful!	80
Part 3.	Expanding Noun Phrases	83
34	The particle -no between two nouns turns the first noun into a modifier	85
35	A noun modified by an adjective functions like a noun	87
36	The modifier consistently precedes the modified	88
37	Spatial relationships are expressed with stacked nouns	90
38	The particle -no mediates a wide range of relationships. Mekishiko-jin-no tomodachi, for instance, means either "a friend of a Mexican" or "a friend who is Mexican"	92
39	The particle -to connects noun phrases representing separate objects	94
40	Na-nouns behave like nouns, but they have "fuzzy" meanings	96
41	To say something more complex, use complex noun phrases	99
42	The head noun of a complex noun phrase carries with it only the particle which marks its function in a larger sphere	101
43	Japanese does not employ WH-phrases for creating complex noun phrases	103
44	Mekishiko-jin-no tomodachi "a Mexican friend" is a complex noun phrase	105
45	Atarashii tomodachi "a new friend" is also a kind of complex noun phrase	107
46	One more way to create a complex noun phrase	109
47	No is for a familiar event; koto is for an abstract idea	111
Part 4.	Tense and Events	115
48	There are only two tenses in Japanese: non-past and past	117
49	Special use of past tense forms	119
50	Te-forms connect very closely related events	121
51	Tense markers separate events	124
52	Events are tied with varying degrees of cohesion inside a sentence	129
53	Two perspectives for tense inside a subordinate clause	133
54	The main clause perspective means involvement	137
55	The speaker's perspective means incidental connection, speaker's recollection, or speaker's reasoning	140
Part 5.	Miscellaneous Topics	143
56	Hai and ee mean "I agree" or "I hear you"; iie means "I disagree"	145
57	Are "that" is for things known to both speaker and hearer; sore "that" is for something just mentioned	149
58	The longer and vaguer, the more polite	152
59	Polite forms and direct forms	153
60	Reality consists of continuous-grade scales; language makes things discrete	156
61	Interpretations of -te-kuru/-te-iku	159
62	Expressing solidarity with -te-kuru/-te-iku	163
63	-n-da expresses expectation of mutual understanding	165
64	-n-da-kara does not provide personal information. Do not overuse it!	167
65	There are ways to identify hidden subjects	170
66	Do not be intimidated by apparent complexity	175
	Answers to the Questions	179
	Glossary	193
	Index	197