SoJ | Daily information

This page 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] M Aug 17

Covered today: Course information; introduction to Japanese and linguistics [outline]
- Handout - Course information and policies [date error corrected Sept 1]
- Handout - Basic background: Japanese and linguistics
To read for W Aug 19:
- Handout - Writing Japanese: Kanji, kana and transliteration
- Handout - Context: Phonetics and phonology
- Reading - Kubozono (2015), Ch 1 [direct link] - read sec 2 "Vowel inventories"
  - You can also find this reading through Course Reserves on Canvas
To prepare for W Aug 19:
- Please complete the background questionnaire if you haven't already
- We will work with this handout in class next time - you might want to bring a printout
  - Handout - Phonetics: Vowels of Japanese

[02] W Aug 19

Covered today: Writing vs. language; phonetics of Japanese vowels [outline]
- Handout - Writing Japanese: Kanji, kana and transliteration
- Course webpage - Kana charts
- Handout - Context: Phonetics and phonology
- Handout - Phonetics: Vowels of Japanese
- Audio - Example sound files for vowels (Canvas)
To prepare for F Aug 21:
- Prep questions 08.21
  - Due F Aug 21 by 10:30am in Canvas Assignments
- Please complete the background questionnaire if you haven't already
- We will work with this handout in class next time - you might want to bring a printout
  - Handout - Phonetics: Consonants of Japanese

[03] F Aug 21

Covered today: Consonant articulation; phonetics of Japanese consonants [outline]
- Handout - Phonetics: Consonants of Japanese
- Handout - Japanese consonants and vowels: Example words
- Audio - Example sound files for consonants (Canvas)
To read for M Aug 24: Hayes (2009), Ch 1 [direct link] - read sec 1.4, "Consonants" (info and chart in sec 1.4.4 are FYI only)
- You can also find this reading through Course Reserves on Canvas
To prepare for M Aug 24:
- Prep questions 08.24
  - Due M Aug 24 by 10:30am in Canvas Assignments
- Finish filling out the consonant chart in the handout Phonetics: Consonants of Japanese, using the Hayes reading to help you

[04] M Aug 24

Covered today: Phonology - mental sound patterns; sounds that change in context [outline] [Padlet]
- Handout - Phonetics: Reference charts for Japanese consonants and vowels
- Data set - Syllable-final nasals
- Audio - Example sound files for syllable-final nasals, sets (1)-(4) and (5)-(9)
- Handout - Phonemes and allophones
- How to look at sound environments in a data set
  - Data set - Voiceless vowels
  - Worked-out example - Environment charts
To prepare for W Aug 26: Data sets (see specific instructions at end of today's outline)
- Data set - Bilabial, palatal, and glottal fricatives | Part I only
- Data set - Alveolar/alveo-palatal obstruents in Japanese, part (I) | Set (2) only
- Prep questions 08.26 - use the data sets and handouts from today
  - Due W Aug 26 by 10:30am in Canvas Assignments

[05] W Aug 26

Covered today: Allophones and phonological rules [outline] [Padlet]
- Handout - Phonetics: Reference charts for Japanese consonants and vowels
- Handout - Phonemes and allophones
- Data set - Bilabial, palatal, and glottal fricatives | Part I only
- Data set - Alveolar/alveo-palatal obstruents in Japanese, part (I) | Set (2) only
To prepare for F Aug 28:
- Data set - Alveolar/alveo-palatal obstruents in Japanese, part (I) | Set (1)
- Data set - Bilabial, palatal, and glottal fricatives | Part II
- Prep questions 08.28 - use the data sets and handouts from today
  - Due F Aug 28 by 10:30am in Canvas Assignments

[06] F Aug 28

Covered today: Phonemes, phonological rules, lexical strata [outline] [Padlet]
- Data set - Bilabial, palatal, and glottal fricatives
- Data set - Alveolar/alveo-palatal obstruents in Japanese, part (I)
- Data set - Alveolar/alveo-palatal obstruents in Japanese, part (II)
To prepare for M Aug 31:
- Review segmental phonology and bring questions next time (sound files are now working!)
- Handout - Segmental phonology in Japanese: Summary (via Canvas)
- Supplement to outline slides - Summary of /h/ analysis (via Canvas)
- Remember that the Padlet is also a place to ask questions!

[07] M Aug 31

Covered today: Segmental phonology: Wrap-up [outline] [Padlet]
- Data set - Alveolar/alveo-palatal obstruents in Japanese, part (II)
To read for W Sept 2: Kawahara (2015), "The phonology of Japanese accent", sec 1
- This reading is Ch 11 in Kubozono (ed., 2015)
- Read section 1, "Introduction" [direct link] | focus on sec 1.3 and 1.4
- You can also find this reading through Course Reserves on Canvas
To prepare for W Sept 2:
- Prep questions 09.02 - note that there are sound files to listen to
  - Due W Sept 2 by 10:30am in Canvas Assignments
FYI: For those who would like to read more about loanword phonology
- Smith (to appear) - A review of recent research on loanword phonology
- Smith & Tashiro (2019) - Results of an experiment on how Japanese speakers prefer to nativize loanwords from English

[08] W Sept 2

Covered today: Pitch accent [outline] [Padlet]
- Audio - Example sound files for pitch accent (Canvas)
To read for F Sept 4 (review): Kawahara (2015), "The phonology of Japanese accent", sec 1
- Read section 1, "Introduction" [direct link] | focus on sec 1.4
- You can also find this reading through Course Reserves on Canvas
To prepare for F Sept 4:
- Prep questions 09.04 - note that you need to access web links and upload a diagram (or bring it to class)
  - Due F Sept 4 by 10:30am in Canvas Assignments
  - Use kana charts and OJAD Word Search

[09] F Sept 4

Covered today: Prosodic structure - Moras and syllables [outline] [Padlet]
- Data set - Prosodic structure in Japanese
Optional reading: Tsujimura (2014), ch 3, on moras and syllables in Japanese [physical book on reserve]
To prepare for W Sept 9:
- Prep questions 09.09
  - Due W Sept 9 by 10:30am in Canvas Assignments
- Information and review guide for Quiz #1 - bring questions to class or post on Padlet

M Sept 7

Labor Day — no class

[10] W Sept 9

Covered today: Phonetics and phonology - Discussion [outline] [Padlet]
- Handout - Prosodic structure in Japanese: Summary
To prepare for F Sept 11: Quiz #1
- Information and review guide

[11] F Sept 11

Covered today: Quiz #1

[12] M Sept 14

Covered today: Morphology: Introduction, basic concepts [outline] [Padlet]
- Data set - Adjective morphology (Group analysis) | Version with word-level glosses
- Handout - Morphology: Introduction, section (I)
To read for W Sept 16:
- Handout - Morphology: Introduction
  - Focus on sections (II), (III)
  - Review section (I)
To prepare for W Sept 16:
- Data set - Verb morphology (part 1)
- Prep questions 09.16
  - Due W Sept 16 by 10:30am in Canvas Assignments

[13] W Sept 16

Covered today: Verb morphology and phonology [outline] [Padlet]
- Data set - Verb morphology (part 1)
- Data set - Verb morphology (full version)
- Handout - Morphology: Introduction
To prepare for F Sept 18:
- Data set - Verb morphology (full version)
- Data set - Irregular verbs
- Prep questions 09.18
  - Due F Sept 18 by 10:30am in Canvas Assignments

[14] F Sept 18

Covered today: Verb and adjective morphology [outline] [Padlet]
- Data set - Verb morphology (full version)
- Data set - Irregular verbs
- Data set - Exploring verb and adjective negation
To read for W Sept 23:
- Handout - Adjective and verb inflection: Summary
To prepare for W Sept 23:
- Review morphology handouts, outlines, datasets and bring or post questions

M Sept 21

Well-being day — no class

[15] W Sept 23

Covered today: Word classes - morphological criteria [outline] [Padlet]
- Handout - Morphology in the mental grammar
- Handout - Word classes (syntactic categories) in Japanese
To prepare for F Sept 25:
- Prep questions 09.25
  - Due F Sept 25 by 10:30am in Canvas Assignments
  - Requires JDIC Word Search tool and class kana charts
Checking in: Is anyone planning to attend this discussion? - "The U.S.-Japan Career Landscape: Government, JET, business, and the nonprofit sector"

[16] F Sept 25

Covered today: Corpus data for morphology [outline] [Padlet]
- Handout - Word classes (syntactic categories) in Japanese
- Handout - Guide to using the Syoonagon interface to the BCCWJ corpus
- Data set - Corpus data on N, AN
- Data set - Distributional evidence for word class: Corpus data
To prepare for M Sept 28:
- Prep questions 09.28
  - Due M Sept 28 by 10:30am in Canvas Assignments
  - Use JDIC Word Search tool and verb conjugation charts
  - Class kana charts, if needed
Upcoming: Quiz #2 on F Oct 2
- Information and review guide
- Bring questions to class on Monday, or post them to the Padlet
FYI: Event on W Sept 30, 11:15-12:15
- "The U.S.-Japan Career Landscape: Government, JET, business, and the nonprofit sector"
- Schedule change: Quiz #2 (Morphology) is now on F Oct 2

[17] M Sept 28

Covered today: Morphology - Discussion; Case study: compounds and rendaku [outline] [Padlet]
- Quiz #2 information and review guide
- Data set - Compounds and rendaku
To prepare for W Sept 30:
- Bring any additional quiz review questions, or post them to the Padlet
- We will discuss the final project and formulating research questions
Upcoming: Quiz #2 on F Oct 2
- Information and review guide

[18] W Sept 30

Covered today: Intro to the final project
- Final project information handout
- Final project information and resources page
Prepare: Quiz #2 on F Oct 2
- Information and review guide

[19] F Oct 2

Covered today: Quiz #2

[20] M Oct 5

Covered today: Sociolinguistics - Language and social factors [outline] [Padlet]
- Social factors defining speech communities
- Prescriptive vs. descriptive discussions of language
- Gender-specific language use
To prepare for W Oct 7: Review the information and expectations for the final project
- Final project information and resources page
FYI: Mid-semester course feedback survey (link through Canvas Announcement) - please respond by F Oct 9, class time

[21] W Oct 7

Covered today: Dimensions of politeness; in-group/out-group [outline] [Padlet]
- Handout - Dimensions of politeness
- Data set - Verbs meaning 'go'
- Data set - Kinship terms
To prepare for F Oct 9:
- Prep questions 10.09
  - Due F Oct 9 by 10:30am in Canvas Assignments
FYI: Mid-semester course feedback survey (link through Canvas Announcement) - please respond by F Oct 9, class time

[22] F Oct 9

Covered today: Intro to verbs of giving/receiving: Thematic roles, case [outline] [Padlet]
- Handout - Dimensions of politeness
To prepare for M Oct 12:
- Data set - Verbs of giving and receiving
- Prep questions 10.12
  - Due M Oct 12 by 10:30am in Canvas Assignments
Upcoming: Quiz #3 is on Wed Oct 14
- Quiz #3 information and review guide
FYI: Mid-semester course feedback survey (link through Canvas Announcement) - please respond by Sun Oct 11, 11:59pm

[23] M Oct 12

Covered today: Sociolinguistics wrap-up discussion: Verbs of giving/receiving [outline] [Padlet]
- Handout - Dimensions of politeness
- Data set - Verbs of giving and receiving
To prepare for W Oct 14: Quiz #3
- Quiz #3 information and review guide

Daily information

Structure of Japanese · Fall 2026