Linguistics: Japanese
From LibraryWiki
General linguists may be interested in Japanese to the extent that it shares or does not share typological characteristics with other languages, or, say, insofar as it exhibits some particular syntactic property or other. Such researchers will likely want data that is romanized and pre-analyzed.
Some linguists make an effort to appreciate the wealth of research done in Japan on the Japanese language, and the course of development of the science in Japan. That is, they take the Japanese language not only as an object of study, but also as a means to learn how Japanese linguists work.
Still others may be interested in such things as how to teach English grammar or courses in general linguistics using Japanese terminology and Japanese textbooks.
This page is meant to be of help to any researcher with an interest in Japanese language. But be forewarned that a part of what is presented here will only be of use to people who already have a facility with the Japanese language.
Some resources online:
Finding English language resources on Japanese linguistics
Much of what follows is taken from OSU Japanese Collection blog entry 2006-10-09: Western Language Materials for Japanese Studies.
Bibliography of Asian Studies
To browse for books and articles on Japanese linguistics, go to Bibliography of Asian Studies > Browse the BAS by Country/Subject > Japan > Language > Linguistics. As of Nov. 2006 this database had 2061 citations for articles on Japanese linguistics published in English Language publications.
Note: Use printed bibliographies for earlier years – for example:
- Cumulative bibliography of Asian studies, 1966-1970. EAS: Z3001.C83 1966 -1970 + Z3001.C84 1966 -1970
- Cumulative bibliography of Asian studies, 1941-1965. EAS: Z3001.C8 + Z3001.C82
- The Allied occupation of Japan, 1945-1952: an annotated bibliography of Western-language materials. Ward, Robert Edward. EAS Z3308.A5 W35 1974
- Japan: 1906-1937. Nachod. EAS: Z3301 .W462 + Z3301 .W463
- Japan: 1859-1906. Wenckstern EAS: Z3301 .W46 1998
Google Scholar
Try a searching on Google Scholar. While good for immediate access to many recent articles, Google Scholar will not find articles if 1) they haven't been posted on the Internet, or 2) they haven't been cited in articles posted on the Internet.
JSTOR
Try seaching JSTOR online access and search of digitized journals in various fields (5 yr wall): http://library.ohio-state.edu/record=e1000042
- Japanese Language and Literature
- Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies
- Journal of Asian Studies
- Journal of Japanese Studies
- Monumenta Nipponica
Linguistics and Language Behavior Abstracts
MLA International Bibliography
(index to literary criticism and scholarship in folklore and linguistics) Online version covers 1960-
For 1921-1959 use printed version: (ETC; Reference; STX: Z7006 M6)
Journals and proceedings
- Japanese/Korean linguistics. Stanford, Calif.: Published for the Stanford Linguistics Association by the Center for the Study of Language and Information, c1990-.
- Journal of East Asian linguistics. Dordrecht; Boston: Kluwer Academic Publishers, c1992-.
- Online:
- Vol. 6 (1997) - Vol. 13 (2004)
- Sophia linguistica. Tokyo, Japan: Graduate School of Languages and Linguistics, Linguistic Institute for International Communication, Sophia University.
- Papers in Japanese linguistics. Los Angeles, University of Southern California, Japanese Linguistics Workshop, 1972-79; Tokyo, Kaitakusha Co., 1980-82; Tokyo, Kurosio Syuppan Co., 1983; University Park, Penn.?, 1985-. (Continued in 1990 by: Journal of Japanese linguistics).
- Journal of Japanese linguistics. Nagoya, Japan: Dept. of Japanese, Nanzan University, 1990-.
- Formal approaches to Japanese linguistics 1: proceedings of the First Conference on Formal Approaches to Japanese Linguistics. Ura, Hiroyuki; Koizumi, Masatoshi (eds). Cambridge, Mass., USA: MiTWP, [1994].
- Formal approaches to Japanese linguistics 2: proceedings of the Second Conference on Formal Approaches to Japanese Linguistics. Koizumi, Masatoshi; Oishi, Masayuki; Sauerland, Uli (eds). Cambridge, MA: MITWPL, Dept. in Linguistics MIT, 1996.
- Formal approaches to Japanese linguistics 3. Maria Cristina Cuervo...[et al.] (eds). Cambridge, MA: Dept. of Linguistics and Philosophy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2001.
- University of Massachusetts occasional papers. Amherst, MA : G.L.S.A., Dept. of Linguistics, University of Massachusetts , 1990-.
Finding Japanese books and articles on linguistics
It's good to cultivate an awareness of what universities and research institutes in Japan do work in linguistics. One place to start is section 3 of the Kokugo nenkan: 各学会・関係諸団体一覧. This will give you a comprehensive list, but it doesn't give you any idea of what to look at first.
Another one of the things you can do to get a sense of which Japanese universities are active in linguistics research is to browse Nihongogaku ronsetsu shiryō (日本語学論説資料) and see out of which institutions most of the articles are published. To save time, I imported the data file for a recent year of 日本語学論説資料 and sorted it under the field for publishing information.
One of the most powerful databases for periodicals in general is Ulrich's Periodicals Directory. It is not comprehensive for Japanese publications, but it is nonetheless very useful for generating a list of major publications. It also indicates whether or not a given journal is refereed, published electronically, etc.
- Browse by General Subject: Linguistics
- Sort by Country
- Scroll down to "Japan"
As of 12/19/06 there are 69 records for Japanese peridicals in linguistics, 10 of which Ulrich's marks as refereed:
- International Christian University.Language Research Bulletin.Japan.International Christian University, Language Division.ISSN: 0913-3615.Bulletin; Academic/Scholarly.Active.1961.
- Kokugogaku.Japan.Society for the Study of Japanese Language.ISSN: 0491-3337.Academic/Scholarly.Active.1948.
- Poetica: an international journal of linguistic-literary studies.Japan.Shubun International Co. Ltd.ISSN: 0287-1629.Academic/Scholarly.Active.1974.
- Onsei Kenkyu.Japan.Phonetic Society of Japan.ISSN: 1342-8675.Academic/Scholarly.Active.1997.
- Keiryo Kokugo Gaku.Japan.Keiryo Kokugo Gakkai.Journal; Academic/Scholarly.Active.1957.
- Gengo to Kyoiku no Kenkyu.Japan.Gengo to Kyoiku no Kai, Saitama Daigaku Kyoiku Gakubu.ISSN: 0912-6015.Academic/Scholarly.Active.1986.
- Linguistic Society of Japan. Journal.Japan.Linguistic Society of Japan.ISSN: 0024-3914.Academic/Scholarly.Active.1939.
- Eibungaku Kenkyu.Japan.English Literary Society of Japan.ISSN: 0039-3649.Academic/Scholarly.Active.1919.
- Kominikeisyon Syoigaigaku.Japan.Nihon Chono Gengo Gakkai.ISSN: 1347-8451.Journal; Academic/Scholarly.Active.1983.
- Shakai Gengo Kagaku.Japan.Japanese Association of Sociolinguistic Sciences.ISSN: 1344-3909.Journal; Academic/Scholarly.Active.1998.
There are bibliographic sources becoming available here as well:
Google Scholar
Try searching on Google Scholar using Japanese language keywords/author name.
Try limiting your English keyword search to pages in Japanese.
While good for immediate access to many recent articles, Google Scholar will not find articles if 1) they haven't been posted on the Internet, or 2) they haven't been cited in articles posted on the Internet.
Japanese databases
Nichigai web service
GeNii
JapanKnowledge
国語年鑑
For an exhaustive bibliography for Japanese scholarship in Japanese linguistics, Japanese language pedagogy, and Japanese philology, see the Kokugo nenkan (国語年鑑).
日本語学論説資料
Finding the citations is half of the battle. Finding the book or periodical itself is another problem. One resource that gives you immediate access to indexed articles is the Nihongogaku ronsetsu shiryō (日本語学論説資料).
Journals and proceedings
- Gengo kenkyū.Tōkyō: Nihon Gengo Gakkai,
- 言語研究. 東京: 日本言語学会,
- P9 .G4
- Gengo no kagaku. Tōkyō: Tōkyō Gengo Kenkyūjo, 1970-.
- 言語の科学. 東京: 東京言語研究所, 1970-.
- P9 .G45
- Gengo. Tōkyō: Taishūkan Shoten, Shōwa 47 [1972]-.
- 言語. 東京: 大修館書店, 昭和 47 [1972]-.
- P9 .G38
- Gekkan Nihongo. Tōkyō-to: Aruku, Shōwa 63-nen [1988]-
- 月刋日本語. 東京都: アルク, 昭和 63年 [1988]-
- PL501 .G36
- Gendai Nihongo kenkyū. Toyonaka, Japan: Ōsaka Daigaku Bungakubu Nihon Gakka Gendai Nihongogaku Kōza, 1994-.
- 現代日本語研究. 豊中市: 大阪大学文学部日本学科現代日本語学講座, 1994-.
- PL501 .G37
- Gengo seikatsu. Tōkyō: Chikuma Shobō, 1951-1988.
- 言語生活. 東京: 筑摩書房, 1951-1988.
- PL501 .G4
- Kokugo kenkyū. Tōkyō: Kokugakuin Daigaku Kokugo Kenkyūkai, 1952-.
- 國語研究. 東京: 國學院大學國語研究會, 1952-
- PL501 .K577
- Kokugo kokubun. Kyōto: Hoshino Shoten, Shōwa 6 [1931]-.
- 國語國文. 京都: 星野書店, 昭和 10 [1931]-.
- PL501 .K58
- Kokugo kokubun no kenkyū. Kyōto-shi: Bunken Shoin, 1926-1930. (Taishō 15-Shōwa 5).
- 國語國文の硏究. 京都市: 文獻書院, 1926-1930. (大正15-昭和5).
- PL501 .K585
- Kokugo to kokubungaku. Tōkyō: Shibundō, 1924-. (Taishō 13-).
- 國語と國文學. 東京市: 至文堂, 1924. (大正 13年).
- PL501 .K6
- Kokugogaku. Kokugo Gakkai (henshū). Tōkyō: Musashino Shoin, -2004.
- 國語學. 國語學會(編輯). 東京 : 武蔵野書院, -2004
- PL501 .K63
- Nihongo no kenkyū. Tōkyō: Nihongo Gakkai (Hatsubaijo: Musashino Shoin), 2005-.
- 日本語の研究. 東京 : 日本語学会 (発売所: 武蔵野書院), 2005-.
- PL501 .K63
- Kotoba. Tōkyō: Yumani Shobō, 1995. (Heisei 7).
- コトバ. 東京 : ゆまに書房, 1995. (平成7).
- PL501 .K84
- Kōza Nihongo kyōiku. Tōkyō: Waseda Daigaku Gogaku Kyōiku Kenkyūjo.
- 講座日本語教育. 東京: 早稲田大学語学教育研究所.
- PL501 .K85
- Nihongo bunpo (= Journal of Japanese grammar). Publish info Tōkyō : Kuroshio Shuppan, Heisei 13 [2001]-
- 日本語文法. 東京: くろしお出版, 2001-. (平成13-).
- PL501 .N42
- Nihongo: kurashi to kotoba. Tōkyō: Kokugo o Aisurukai.
- 日本語: くらしとことば. 東京: 国語を愛する会.
- PL501 .N44
- Nihongo kyōshi dokuhon : Nihongo o oshietai hito no tame no kanzen gaido. Tōkyō: Aruku.
- 日本語教師読本: 日本語を教えたい人のための完全ガイド. 東京: アルク.
- PL501 .N46
- Nihongo, Nihon bungaku. Kyōto-fu Tsuzuki-gun Tanabe-chō: Dōshisha Joshi Daigaku Nihongo Nihon Bungakkai, 1989-.
- 日本語日本文学. 京都府綴喜郡田辺町: 同志社女子大学日本語日本文学会, 1989-.
- PL501 .N473
- Nihongo Nihon bunka. Ōsaka-fu Minoo-shi : Ōsaka Gaikokugo Daigaku Ryūgakusei Nihongo Kyōiku Sentā.
- 日本語日本文化. 大阪府箕面市: 大阪外国語大学留学生日本語教育センター.
- PL501 .N478
- Nihongo, Nihon bunka kenkyū. Ōsaka-fu Minoo-shi: Ōsaka Gaikokugo Daigaku Nihongo Gakka, 1991-.
- 日本語・日本文化研究. 大阪府箕面市: 大阪外国語大学日本語学科, 1991-.
- PL501 .N48
- Nihongo Nihon bunka ronshū. Nagoya: Nagoya Daigaku Ryūgakusei Sentā, 1993-.
- 日本語日本文化論集. 名古屋: 名古屋大学留学生センター, 1993-.
- PL501 .N483
- Nihongogaku. Tōkyō: Meiji Shōin, 1982-.
- 日本語学. 東京: 明治書院, 1982-.
- PL501N54
- Sōka Daigaku Bekka kiyō. Tōkyō: Sōka Daigaku Bekka Nihongo Kenshū Katei, 1982-.
- 創価大学別科紀要. 東京: 創価大学別科日本語研修課程, 1982-.
- PL501 .S64
- Onsei no kenkyū: The Study of sounds. Tōkyō.
- 音声の硏究: The Study of sounds. 東京.
- PL503 N5
- Japan and Korea, contemporary studies: proceedings of the fourth Nordic Symposium on Japanese and Korean studies. Frellesvig, Bjarke; Starrs, Roy (eds). Aarhus [Denmark]; Oakville, CT: Aarhus University Press, c1997.
- Nihongo no sekai. Ōno Susumu; Maruya Saiichi (hen). Tōkyō: Chūō Kōronsha, 1980-.
- 日本語の世界. 大野晋; 丸谷才一(編). 東京: 中央公論社, 1980-.
- PL505 .N53
Serials from Japanese universities and research institutes
- Handai Nihongo kenkyū. Toyonaka-shi : Ōsaka Daigaku Bungakubu Nihon Gakka (Gengokei), 1989-.
- 阪大日本語研究. 豊中市: 大阪大学文学部日本学科(言語系), 1989-.
- PL501 .H32
- Kiyō.Tōkyō: Waseda Daigaku Gogaku Kyōiku Kenkyūjo, 1962-.
- 紀要. 東京: 早稲田大学語学教育研究所, 1962-.
- P9 .W31 (Also: some articles online at: DSpace@Waseda University)
- Ōsaka Daigaku gengo bunkagaku. Toyonaka-shi: Ōsaka Daigaku Gengo Bunka Gakkai, 1992-.
- 大阪大学言語文化学. 豊中市: 大阪大学言語文化学会, 1992-.
- P9 .O75
- Nanzan gengo kagaku (= Nanzan studies in language science). Nagoya-shi: Nanzan Daigaku Daigakuin Ningen Bunka Kenkyūka Gengo Kagaku Senkō, 2006-.
- 南山言語科学. 名古屋市: 南山大学大学院人間文化研究科言語科学専攻, 2006-.
- P9 .N28
- Mukogawa Joshi Daigaku Gengo Bunka Kenkyūjo nenpō. Nishinomiya-shi: Mukogawa Joshi Daigaku, 1990-.
- 武庫川女子大学言語文化研究所年報. 西宫市: 武庫川女子大学, 1990-.
- P9 .M84
- Machikaneyama ronsō. Bungaku hen. Toyonaka-shi: Ōsaka Daigaku Bungakubu, 1971-.
- 待兼山論叢. 文学篇. 豊中市: 大阪大学文学部, 1971-.
- P9 .M23
- Lingua. Jōchi Daigaku Ippan Gaikokugo. Tōkyō: Jōchi Daigaku Ippan Gaikokugo Shujishitsu, 1990-.
- Lingua. 上智大学一般外国語. 東京: 上智大学一般外国語主事室, 1990-.
- P9 .L52
- Kyōto Sangyō Daigaku Kokusai Gengo Kagaku Kenykūjo shohō. Kyōto-shi: Kyōto Sangyō Daigaku, 1980-.
- 京都產業大学国際言語科学研究所所報. 京都市: 京都產業大学, 1980-.
- P9 .K9
- Himeji Dokkyō Daigaku Daigaku Gaikokugo Gakubu kiyō. Himeji-shi: Himeji Dokkyō Daigaku Gaikokugo Gakubu.
- 姬路獨協大学外国語学部紀要. 姬路市 : 姬路獨協大学外国語学部.
- P9 .H46
- Bungei gengo kenkyū: gengohen. Tsukuba Daigaku Bungei Gengogakukei. Ibaraki-ken Niihari-gun Sakura-mura.
- Philologie (= firorojī). Ōsaka Shiritsu Daigaku Gendai Gengoron Kenkyūkai. Ōsaka-shi: Ōsaka Shiritsu Daigaku Gendai Gengoron Kenkyūkai, 1990-.
- フィロロジ-. 大阪市立大学現代言語論研究会. 大阪市: 大阪市立大学現代言語論研究会, 1990-.
- P9 .P55
- Ō-Bei bunka ronshū. Okinawa-ken Nishihara-chō: Ryūkyū Daigaku Hōbun Gakubu, 1994-.
- 欧米文化論集. 沖縄県西原町 : 琉球大学法文学部, 1994-.
- P9 .R95
- Ryūkyū Daigaku gogaku bungaku ronshū. Ryūkyū Daigaku Hōbun Gakubu. Okinawa-ken Nishihara-chō: Ryūkyū Daigaku Hōbun Gakubu, -1993.
- 琉球大学語学文学論集. 琉球大学法文学部. 沖縄県西原町: 琉球大学法文学部, -1993.
- P9 .R95
- Waseda Nihongo kenkyū. Tokyo: Waseda Daigaku Kokugo Gakkai, 1993-.
- 早稲田日本語研究. 東京: 早稲田大学国語学会, 1993-.
- PL501 .W57
- Kiyō: Tenri Daigaku, Bekka Nihongo Katei. Tenri-shi: Dō Daigaku, 1986-.
- 紀要: 天理大学, 別科日本語課程. 天理市: 同大学, 1986-.
- PL501 .T35
Dictionaries for language and linguistics: Japanese
Here is a partial list of dictionaries in the holdings of the OSU libraries, and additional resources, including online resources:
Reference works for Japanese linguistics
- The handbook of Japanese linguistics. Tsujimura, Natsuko (ed). Malden, Mass.: Blackwell Publishers, 1999.
- An introduction to Japanese linguistics. Tsujimura, Natsuko. Cambridge, Mass.: Blackwell Publishers, 1996.
- An introduction to Japanese linguistics. Tsujimura, Natsuko. Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub., 2007.
- Japanese linguistics. Tsujimura, Natsuko (ed). London; New York: Routledge, 2005.
Reference books on Japanese grammar
Here is a partial list of references books in the holdings of the OSU libraries for the grammar of Modern Japanese and Classical Japanese.
Lexical surveys
- Keisankiyō Nihongo kihon dōshi jisho IPAL (basic verbs): Jisho hen. Tōkyō: Jōhō Shori Shinkō Jigyō Kyōkai Gijutsu Sentā, 1987.
- 計算機用日本語基本動詞辞書 IPAL (basic verbs)・辞書編. 東京: 情報処理振興事業協会技術センター, 1987. (昭和 62).
- PL585 .K43 1987
- LC: PL585
- OCLC: 36118482
- Keisankiyō Nihongo kihon dōshi jisho IPAL (basic verbs): Kaisetsu hen. Tōkyō: Jōhō Shori Shinkō Jigyō Kyōkai Gijutsu Sentā, 1987.
- 計算機用日本語基本動詞辞書 IPAL (basic verbs)・解說編. 東京: 情報処理振興事業協会技術センター, 1987. (昭和 62).
- PL585 .K432 1987
- LC: PL585
- OCLC: 36118559
- Keisankiyō Nihongo kihon keiyōshi jisho IPAL (basic adjectives): Jisho hen. Tōkyō: Jōhō Shori Shinkō Jigyō Kyōkai Gijutsu Sentā, 1990.
- 計算機用日本語基本形容詞辞書 IPAL (basic adjectives): 辞書編. 東京: 情報処理振興事業協会技術センター, 1990.
- PL577 .K43 1990
- Keisankiyō Nihongo kihon keiyōshi jisho IPAL (basic adjectives): Kaisetsu hen. Tōkyō: Jōhō Shori Shinkō Jigyō Kyōkai Gijutsu Sentā, 1990.
- 計算機用日本語基本形容詞辞書 IPAL (basic adjectives): 解說編. 東京: 情報処理振興事業協会技術センター, 1990.
- PL577 .K432 1990
- Heian jidai fukugō dōshi sakuin. Higashitsuji Yasukazu ... [et al.] (hen). Ōsaka-shi: Seibundō, 2003.
- 平安時代複合動詞索引. 東辻保和 ... [et al.] (編). 大阪市: 清文堂, 2003.
- PL585 .H45 2003
- Nihongo goi taikei. NTT Komyunikēshon Kagaku Kenkyūjo (kanshū); Ikehara Satoru ... [et al.] (henshū). Tōkyō: Iwanami Shoten, 1997. (1998 printing).
- 日本語語彙大系. NTT コミュニケ-ション科学研究所(監修); 池原悟 ... [et al.](編集). 東京: 岩波書店, 1997. (1998 printing).
- PL675 .N53 1997
Bibliographies of surveys
- Nihongo kihon goi: bunken kaidai to kenkyū. Kokuritsu Kokugo Kenkyūjo (hencho). Tōkyō: Meiji Shoin, 2000. (Heisei 12).
- 日本語基本語彙: 文献解題と硏究. 国立国語硏究所(編著). 東京: 明治書院, 2000. (平成12).
- PL642 .N47 2000
Natural language corpora
Publications
- Nihongo dōshi no ketsugōka. Ogino, Takano; Kobayashi, Masahiro; Isahara, Hitoshi (cho). Tōkyō : Sanseidō, 2003.
- 日本語動詞の結合価. 荻野孝野, 小林正博, 井佐原均 ... (著). 東京 : 三省堂, 2003.
- LC: PL597.P52; DDC: 495.65
- OCLC: 55025636
- (System requirements for accompanying CD-ROM: Intel Pentium/Celeron or compatible system; MS Windows 2000/XP; MS-Ex 2000; Windows XP 2000. However, I have had trouble importing data from the database into the spread sheet in anything other than a Japanese language operating system.)
Websites
- Catalogue of Language Resources and Tools in Japan (Some of the latest information on Japanese corpora)
- 国立国語研究所『日本語話し言葉コーパス』
- 『日本語話し言葉コーパス』(CSJ: Corpus of Spontaneous Japanese)
- 日本語コーパス収集
- テキスト処理とコーパス言語学
- 英辞郎 (corpus-generated dictionaries)
- Ohio State University corpus-based linguistics
- Stanford University corpus-based computational linguistics
- コーパス関連サイト
- Japanese Historical Linguistics
Databases
Here is a website devoted to CD ROM databases, texts, audio files, digital books out of print, and images useful to linguists.

