Hiroshima University Syllabus

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Japanese
Academic Year 2025Year School/Graduate School School of Integrated Arts and Sciences Department of Integrated Arts and Sciences
Lecture Code AHL05001 Subject Classification Specialized Education
Subject Name 統語論
Subject Name
(Katakana)
トウゴロン
Subject Name in
English
Syntax
Instructor KANEKO MAKOTO,KANEKO MAKOTO
Instructor
(Katakana)
カネコ マコト,カネコ マコト
Campus Higashi-Hiroshima Semester/Term 2nd-Year,  Second Semester,  Second Semester
Days, Periods, and Classrooms (2nd) Tues1-2:IAS K313
Lesson Style Lecture Lesson Style
(More Details)
Face-to-face
 
Credits 2.0 Class Hours/Week 2 Language of Instruction J : Japanese
Course Level 2 : Undergraduate Low-Intermediate
Course Area(Area) 23 : Arts and Humanities
Course Area(Discipline) 06 : Linguistics
Eligible Students
Keywords Mechanism of Language, Structure of Phrases and Sentences, Generative Grammar, Comparison of English, Japanese, and Other Languages, Syntax and Semantics, Syntax and Pragmatics 
Special Subject for Teacher Education   Special Subject  
Class Status
within Educational
Program
(Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)
a course on the role of language in the exploration of the human mind and foundational knowledge for the study of language communication 
Criterion referenced
Evaluation
(Applicable only to targeted subjects for undergraduate students)
Integrated Arts and Sciences
(Knowledge and Understanding)
・Knowledge and understanding of the importance and characteristics of each discipline and basic theoretical framework.
(Abilities and Skills)
・The abilities and skills to summarize one's own research in reports or academic papers, and to deliver presentations at a seminar or research meetings, and to answer questions.
(Comprehensive Abilities)
・The general ability to discover issues based on the ethics in research and subjective intellectual interests, and make planning to solve them. 
Class Objectives
/Class Outline
In this class, we first confirm that sentences consist not only of words arranged in order but also of structures. Then, guided by the assumption of generative grammar, which posits that the structures of various languages are fundamentally similar, we explore why differences exist between languages in aspects such as word order, question formation, and the presence of articles. Through the examination of various phenomena outlined in the course plan, primarily observed in English but also in other languages such as Japanese and French, students will develop the basic ability to analyze linguistic structures. 
Class Schedule lesson1  introduction: syntax defined with respect to morphology, semantics, and pragmatics
lesson2 constituent analysis 1: four tests to verify if a string of words forms a constituent (or a phrase)
lesson3  constituent analysis 2: structure of verb phrases and sentences
lesson4  constituent analysis 3: structure of interrogative sentences (comparison between English and Japanese)
lesson5  differences in interrogative and negative sentences between "be" and other verbs in English from a French perspective
lesson6  semantic roles (thematic roles) given by various verbs to their arguments
lesson7  control and raising: "want to do" vs. "seem to do"
lesson8  Exceptional Case Marking (ECM), subject control, object control: differences among "believe NP to do", "promise NP to do", "persuade NP to do", "want NP to do"
lesson9  the semantics of Control
lesson10  two types of intransitive verbs: unaccusative verbs (e.g., "work") and unergative verbs (e.g., "come")
lesson11  distinction between unaccusative / unergative verbs and lexical aspect of verbs (Aktionsart)
lesson12  structure of noun phrases: roles of articles, classifiers
lesson13  syntax and semantics: the role of LF (Logical form)
lesson14  syntax and pragmatics
lesson15  review and summary.

A final report will be assigned at the end of the semester. 
Text/Reference
Books,etc.
handout (pdf files)
recommended reading:
Baker, M. (2002). The Atoms of Language: The Mind's Hidden Rules Of Grammar. Oxford University Press.
Radford, A. (1997). Syntax: A minimalist introduction. Cambridge University Press. 
PC or AV used in
Class,etc.
Handouts
(More Details) PC is useful. 
Learning techniques to be incorporated Post-class Report
Suggestions on
Preparation and
Review
Please review handouts before each class. I will give you several small assignments after classes 
Requirements None 
Grading Method around 50% assignment tasks in the class and around 50% final report 
Practical Experience  
Summary of Practical Experience and Class Contents based on it  
Message Please consider to what extent the content presented in the class applies to the languages you know (such as those you learned as a first foreign language). 
Other   
Please fill in the class improvement questionnaire which is carried out on all classes.
Instructors will reflect on your feedback and utilize the information for improving their teaching. 
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