JAPANESE LANGUAGE 1 MOD.1

This course falls within the characterizing teachings of the first year of the "Japan" curriculum of the course "Languages, Cultures and Societies of Asia and Mediterranean Africa".
Its formative objectives fall within the area of language skills learning.
The objectives of the course are: to provide knowledge of elementary-level Japanese grammar; to provide basic skills for reading, writing and oral production in Japanese; to provide knowledge and skills for the metalinguistic analysis of the Japanese language and for the translation from Japanese into Italian.
The level that students should reach at the end of the course should be around an A1 level of the CEFR (between level N5 and N4 of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test).
This class is part of the Japanese language program; it prepares the students to continue with "Japanese language 1.2".

1. Knowledge and understanding
- to complete the knowledge of the grammatical structures of basic-level Japanese
- to complete the knowledge of basic-level writing system (kana and kanji) and vocabulary
- to know and understand the functioning of the grammatical structures of basic-level Japanese
- to know and understand variations in the register and communication pragmatics of basic-level Japanese
- to know and understand key concepts and the essential terminology required to describe in a scientific way the phenomena studied during the class

2. Applying knowledge and understanding:
- to know how to identify grammatical categories and their properties
- to demonstrate a general understanding of basic grammar structures
- to be able to describe constructions and grammatical phenomena studied during classes by correctly using the terminology and the basic tools of syntactic analysis
- to know how to interact in the communicative situations described by the A1 level of the CEFR
- to know how to understand and produce oral and written texts in agreement with the A1 level of the CEFR
- to be able to translate elementary-level written texts from Japanese into Italian, following the instructions provided during the course
- to be able to use the electronic dictionary and other translation tools

3. Making judgements:
- to be able to express basic concepts and produce examples to support or refute them in Japanese
- to be able to autonomously produce translation choices on the basis of the indications provided during class
- to be able to critically test current myths and prejudices about the Japanese language (eg presumed untranslatability, opacity, exensialism, uniquness, etc.)

4. Communication:
- written and oral comprehension and production skills and oral interaction required by the A1 level of the CEFR
- to be able, during classes, to interact with one's peers, with the teacher and with the CELs in a critical and respectful way

5. Lifelong learning skills:
- to be able to take notes pertinently and effectively
- to be able to consult the texts and reference materials suggested in the course bibliography
- to be able to develop the skills acquired in the course to undertake higher studies.

Knowledge of the basic categories of Italian sentence analysis.

Basic grammar (30 hours Marcella MARIOTTI and Toshio Miyake);
Writing MOD. 1A (30 hours: A-E, P-Z: KOBAYASHI Yumiko, F-O: HIRAMATSU Maiko);
Conversation MOD. 1B (30 hours: A-B, C-E, F-L, M-O, P-S, T-Z: YASUDA Midori);
Grammar exercises MOD. 1C (30+30 hours: A-B, C-E, F-L: MARIKO Aya; M-P, Q-Z: SUZUKI Akane).
Textbook exercises MOD. 1D (30 hours: A-B, C-E, F-L: SUZUKI Akane; M-P, Q-Z: KOBAYASHI Yumiko).

Attendance, although not compulsory, is strongly recommended.
No additional readings are required for non-attending students.

MANDATORY texts:
Manual (compulsory):
1) Shin Bunka Shokyu Nihongo (vol.I), Italian ed. edited by S. Dalla Chiesa, Venice, Cafoscarina, 2004 (mp3 audio recording: https://cafoscarina.it/audio/shin-bunka-shokyu-nihongo-2/ )

Compulsory handouts for Japanese language exercises (modd.1A-1D) :
2) Hiragana and Katakana, Venice, Cafoscarina
3) Kanji no mori 1 (Nishioka), Venice, Cafoscarina (2021/22 or later)
4) Fujisan (Higuchi), Venice, Cafoscarina (2021/2022 or later)
5) Kappa (Higuchi), Venice, Cafoscarina (2021/2022 or later)
6) Shin Totoro (Yasuda), Venice, Cafoscarina (2023/2024 or later)
7) Kanji (Ueda-Suzuki.M), Venice, Cafoscarina (2021/2022 or later)

Recommended grammars
8) Makino S.,Tsutsui M., A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar, The Japan Times 1989
9) Kubota Y., Grammar of Modern Japanese, Venice, Cafoscarina, 1989
10) Matilde Mastrangelo, Naoko Ozawa, Mariko Saito, Grammatica Giapponese, Milano, Hoepli (ed. 2006 or later)
11) Mariotti M., La lingua giapponese, Carocci, 2014
12) Mariotti M., Mantelli A. (online), JALEA e-Learning: jalea.unive.it (2016-present)

Optional insights:
13) Shin Shokyu Nihongo Japanese Language, Introductory Course I, Italian ed. edited by S. Dalla Chiesa, Venice, Cafoscarina, 2005 (N.B. Digital online version (free): http://jplang.tufs.ac.jp/account/login )

NB: Please come to the first lesson of the Japanese language exercises with the respective handouts and manual:
- MOD. es1A writing: handout 2) Hiragana and Katakana
- MOD. es1B conversation: 2) Hiragana and Katakana, 6) Shin Totoro
- MOD. es1C grammar: 1) Shin Bunka Shokyu Nihongo vol. 1, 2) Hiragana and Katakana, 4) Fujisan
- MOD. es1D: 2) Hiragana and Katakana
- MOD 1 (grammar): bring 1) ‘Shin Bunka shokyu nihongo’

Electronic dictionary (for exam 1.2): CASIO or other.
Dictionary app for iOS and Android, free to download: <cafoscari jisho>.
Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/cafoscari-jisho/id1608035564
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=it.mariotti.cafoscarijisho&hl=it&pli=1

useful links:
jalea.unive.it
edukanji.unive.it
jisho.unive.it

The ‘Japanese Language 1’ course is divided into TWO SEMESTERS: ‘Japanese Language 1. mod.1’ in the first semester + ‘Japanese Language 1. mod.2’ in the second semester.

At the end of the first semester there will be an INTERMEDIATE CHANCE TEST for Japanese Language 1.1. This is a written test with multiple-choice questions, taken on the computer (CMM computer room in San Sebastiano) and consists of:
1. writing test: 20 questions on kanji reading + 10 questions on transcription from romaji to katakana, marked out of 30 total points, time 8 minutes
2. grammar and vocabulary test: 55 questions, marking out of 70 total points, time 32 min:
- form in te: 5 questions/1 mark each (5 marks total)
- polite negative form: 5 questions/1 mark (5 marks total)
- correct flat form: 5 questions/1 mark (5 marks total)
- choose correct word: 15 questions/1 mark (15 marks total)
- choose the correct particle. If no particle is required, select X: 10 questions/1 mark (10 marks total)
- choose the correct interrogative word: 5 questions/1 mark (5 marks total)
- reorder the sentence: 5 questions/4 marks (20 marks total)
- choose the correct meaning: 5 multiple choice questions/1 mark (5 marks total)
The test does not give a numerical grade, but only a grade of FIT, which is necessary to be able to take the Japanese Language 1. mod.2 test at the end of Semester 2.
The results are published but NOT VERBALISED.
Successful completion allows access to the FINAL examination of Japanese Language 1. To qualify for the intermediate test you must obtain at least 80% correct answers in both parts of the test: at least 24/30 in writing and at least 56/70 in grammar and vocabulary. THE MARK WILL NOT BE AVERAGED.


THE SYLLABUS FOR THE MIDTERM EXAM FOR THE FIRST SEMESTER INCLUDES:
- all kanji from lesson 1 to lesson 7 of the Shinbunka (cf. list of kanji in Moodle and in the teachers' notices)
- grammar from lesson ‘Aisatsu Kaiwa’ to lesson 10 of Shinbunka
- slides of grammar lessons and additional vocabulary sheets (Mariotti, Miyake)

At the end of Semester II a final examination (Japanese language 1.2) will take place consisting of:
1. a written test (on paper) of kanji (15 writing and 15 reading questions) and grammar (18 entries of correct grammatical forms; 8 multiple choice questions; 2 Italian-Japanese translation sentences) without the aid of the dictionary - 35 min;
2. one written Japanese-Italian translation with the aid of the dictionary - 60 min;
3. an oral test of: reading comprehension, questions in Italian on the grammar examined during the course, conversation and role play.
The final grade will be determined by the average of the 30s marks obtained in each of the three tests.

PLEASE NOTE:
The 18 cfu associated with the teaching of JAPANESE LANGUAGE 1 will be awarded after passing the midterm (Japanese Language 1.1) AND the final examination (Japanese Language 1.2).
Successful completion of part I (intermediate) will be valid until the passing of part II no later than the 1st call in January.
In the event of failure to pass Part II at the I January appeal, the student must retake the Part I examination and may do so from the January's 2nd appeal.

Frontal classes of grammar and translation.
Writing, grammar exercices and conversation in Japanese in small groups.
Study material (e.g. powerpoint presentations) will be available on the moodle platform.

The students are strongly advised to take the "tutorato specialistico" that will be activated during the I semester.
This programme is provisional and there could still be changes in its contents.

written

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Human capital, health, education" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development