JFL Learners Research Articles

Teaching with Conceptual Metaphors: A Cognitive linguistic approach to Japanese Idioms Teaching

In recent studies, the importance of developing metaphorical competence for L2 learners has been highlighted by many cognition linguists. Applying metaphor instruction in language education is increasingly considered as an effective way of improving language teaching. This paper discusses the underlying metaphorical structures and semantic construction of Japanese idiomatic expressions centered on idioms of human body. Based on that, this paper attempts to explore some strategies for Japanese idioms teaching to Chinese JFL learners from the basic perspectives of conceptual metaphors.

The Impact of Familiarity, English Vocabulary Proficiency, English-Japanese Phonological Similarity, and Context on the Processing of Japanese Loanwords by Chinese JFL Learners

The Impact of Familiarity, English Vocabulary Proficiency, English-Japanese Phonological Similarity, and Context on the Processing of Japanese Loanwords by Chinese JFL Learners

Malaysian Students’ Perceptions of “Telop” as a Teaching Tool to Enhance the Japanese Learning Experience

Scholars have confirmed that apart from being an aid to hearing impaired or deaf people, intralingual subtitles, also known as captions, have a function as an audio–visual aid in language learning as well. While many studies verified the effect of using normal captions on various language skills such as listening, reading, comprehension, and vocabulary, little is known about the distinctive captions from Japan known as telop. This study tries to find out how Japanese language learners (JFL) feel about the use of open captions telop (OCT) (henceforth, telop) and what makes a lesson successful. Eight participants majoring in the Japanese language at Universiti Malaya were chosen to participate in this study and joined a lesson. During the lesson, they were asked to complete vocabulary tests, video analysis sheets, comprehension tests, and a learning diary. One interview was held to study their perceptions of OCT. The results show that there are five perceptions of the use of telop in JFL classrooms. We also found that there are four factors that can be addressed to make a lesson become successful. This study concluded that telop has many benefits that can help JFL learners improve their learning experience. Therefore, the use of telop by JFL instructors as an alternative way to expose authentic conversation to learners should be encouraged.

A case study of the effects of hybrid extensive reading on JFL learners’ reading rates and comprehension

Research into the effects of extensive reading (ER) has surged over the past few decades. However, these studies almost exclusively focus on English language learners and tend to be limited by their lack of control over how the ER treatment is conducted. Furthermore, experimental and quantitative studies that investigate the possible effects of ER on the reading skills of learners of Japanese have yet to be fully explored. The goal of this study was to investigate the possible effects of hybrid ER on the reading rate development of learners of Japanese as a foreign language. This study also aimed to examine the level of comprehension learners maintained as their reading rates increased.Using a quantitative single-case study method, eight intermediate-level learners of Japanese were monitored while they engaged in hybrid ER and strictly adhered to ER principles over 2.5–4 months. Reading rate data, reading comprehension data, and general ER data were collected. Results showed that participants’ reading rates increased significantly following the hybrid ER treatment and that comprehension abilities were not hampered by an increase in reading rate. This study provides evidence that hybrid ER has the potential to provide a highly enjoyable activity while substantially increasing learner reading rates without hindering comprehension.

Effects of Classroom Instruction on the Development of L2 Interactional Resource for Joint Stance Taking: Use of Japanese Interactional ParticleYoin Spontaneous Peer Conversation

AbstractThe present study examines the development of L2 interactional competence (Hall et al. 2011) focusing on JFL learners’ use of a Japanese interactional particle yo in spontaneous conversation with native speaker peers. More specifically, this study aims to investigate the instructional effectiveness for the learners’ ability to use the particle yo as an epistemic marker for joint stance taking (Morita 2015, 2018) in interaction. The study implements pragmatics-focused instruction, incorporating awareness-raising and conversational activities, in a third-semester Japanese class for one semester. Qualitative analysis focused on the learners’ ability to deploy yo in activity-relevant participation including an assessment activity (Goodwin and Goodwin 1992) and evidence for their use of yo that extends beyond the instructional content. The findings revealed that the instructed learners increasingly became able to use yo in various stance-indexing activities such as assessment, news telling, highlighting epistemic gap between participants toward the ongoing topic. Learners’ emerging interactional competence reflects their ability to use yo as an interactional resource for co-constructing stance and intersubjectivity as they engage in conversation with NS peers.

자발음성을 통해 본 한국인 학습자의 일본어 어두 유성파열음 습득 실태 - JSL 학습자와 JFL 학습자의 VOT 비교 -

본 연구에서는 한국인 학습자의 일본어 어두 유성파열음 발음 습득 실태를 VOT를 중심으로 분석하고, 학습 환경에 따른 습득 실태를 비교하여 다음과 같은 사실을 확인하였다. 첫째, 한국인 JSL 학습자는 일본어 어두 유성파열음을 +VOT로 습득하고 있었다. 이를 조음위치와 후속모음에 따라 살펴본 결과, VOT값은 연구개/g/>치경/d/>양순/b/의 순으로 나타나 성대에 가까울수록 그 값이 컸다. 또한 후속모음이 전설모음(/i/, /e/)일 때에 비해 비전설모음일 때(/a/, /o/, /u/)가 VOT값이 컸다. 둘째, 한국인 JSL 학습자의 어두 유성파열음 발음의 VOT는 대부분 0ms～50ms의 범위에 해당하여 일본어화자의 어두 유성파열음 발음과 범위가 중복된다는 공통점이 있었다. 셋째, 한국인 JSL 학습자와 JFL 학습자는 모두 어두 유성파열음을 +VOT로 발음하고 있었다. 또한 대부분의 VOT는 0ms～50ms의 범위에 해당하며, VOT 길이는 조음위치가 연구개>치경>양순의 순으로 나타나 성대에 가까울수록 VOT값이 크게 나타난다는 공통점도 있었다. 후속모음에 따른 비교에서는 JSL 학습자에게서는 후속모음이 비전설모음일 때, JFL 학습자에게서는 후속모음이 협모음일 때 각각 VOT 평균값이 컸다.

Conveying the self in a foreign language: Exploring JFL learners’ self-introduction

In this study, the authors researched how learners of Japanese as a foreign language introduce themselves and what they want to convey, as well as what kind of skills the speakers need to effectively communicate these points to the addressee. The self-introduction video data were collected from a project in which JFL learners interacted with EFL learners through Facebook. The survey data included learners' evaluations of their own self-introductions. Interviews were conducted with students in counterpart schools to evaluate the learners’ self-introductions. The authors analyzed the data and extrapolated the most useful skills for effective conveyance from the most successful self-introductions. The results showed discrepancies between learners’ self-evaluations and the opinions of the addressees. Non-verbal communication strategies were also shown to play an important role in successful conveyances. In this paper, we provide a brief overview of the project and report salient results obtained through the analysis of the data. We also share pedagogical implications of the results, and suggest alternative approaches to language pedagogy.

On the interpretation of null arguments in L2 Japanese by European <i>non-pro-drop</i> and <i>pro-drop</i> language speakers

We report that (i) European pro-drop language learners of Japanese as a foreign language (L1 Spanish) (pro-drop JFLs) allowed a sloppy interpretation of null arguments beginning at the primary stage of L2 development, and that (ii) European non-pro-drop JFL learners (non-pro-drop JFLs) did not permit a sloppy interpretation with null arguments even at an advanced level. Under Ishino’s (2012) framework, we argue that the results for the pro-drop JFLs follow from positive L1 transfer, given that Spanish, their first language, permits a sloppy interpretation with null subjects in some well-defined contexts (Duguine, 2013, 2014), and also that the non-pro-drop advanced JFLs’ availability of null arguments stems from the addition of a D-feature to the feature bundles of the target language.

Production and reproduction of Japanese pitch-accent by German, Italian, Vietnam, and Swahili speakers

Japanese pitch accent is lexically distinctive. JFL learners should know the position of the accent to pronounce the words correctly, which is said to be very difficult. In our experiment, we investigate the effectiveness of showing the accent mark to help learners’ pronunciations. We compared the ability of perception, production and reproduction of pitch accent by JFLs of four different languages. 42 Japanese words were presented on a PC screen and 30 subjects participated in three tasks of the experiments. Task 1 was to pronounce the words without any suggestion, task 2 was to imitate the model pronunciation with seeing the accent marks. Task 3 was to pronounce by just seeing the accent marks. The results of task 1 show the percentage of correct accent position was only around 40%, but it rose up to around 90 % in task 2 and fell again in task 3 but still significantly higher than in task 1. The results of task 1 showed different patterns of phonetic interference, task 2 showed that the subjects could ...

Multivariate Analysis of Refusal Strategies in Request Situations: The Case of Russian JFL Learners

Using decision tree analysis by SPSS Classification Trees (Version 18.0), the present study investigated the rank order of significance between the five factors (i.e., power factor, distance factor, situational factor, culture/language factor, and type of refusal strategy) when predicting the choice of refusal strategies in request situations. To examine the frequency of refusal strategies, we conducted a discourse completion test in the L1 and L2 of Russian JFL students and compared them with Russian and Japanese native speakers. The findings show that there is a hierarchical order among the factors involved in realization of request refusals. The effects of cultural and language differences are very complex and deeply intertwined with the content of refusal situations and nature of specific strategies. The results were able to demonstrate in which conditions the following occurred: the influence of L2 (Japanese) onto L1 (Russian), the maintenance of Russian national identity, and the accommodation to the target language culture.

Factors Comprising the Difficulty of Refusing a Request and the Degree of Consideration Toward the Hearer by Russian JFL Learners

Factors Comprising the Difficulty of Refusing a Request and the Degree of Consideration Toward the Hearer by Russian JFL Learners

Exploring Taiwanese college students’ perceptions of text-based, computermediated communication technology in learning Japanese as a foreign language

The use of computers as an educational tool has become very popular in the context of language teaching and learning. Research into computer mediated communication (cmc) in a Japanese as a foreign language (jfl) learning and teaching context can take advantage of various pedagogical possibilities, just as in the English classroom. This study investigates the perceptions of cmc tools held by jfl students in Taiwan. It also examines utterance length and a feature of their online writing, the use of final particles in Japanese. The overall results indicate that the use of text-based cmc tools has positive effects, and is also perceived positively by the jfl learners. The pedagogical implications are that cmc tools can be especially beneficial when integrated within an instructionally-oriented jfl course.

「ようだ․みたいだ」の習得に関する研究 JSL学習者とJFL学習者の使用傾向に関する調査

In this study, we aimed to determine the influence of the learning environment on the learning approach followed by learners of Japanese as a second language (JSL) or as a foreign language (JFL). Our study used three factors to examine the association between learning and the learning environment：the location in the sentence, the part of speech, and the communication setting and was based on the phrase “yodaㆍmitaida” as an example. As a result, the learners’ use of “yodaㆍmitaida” was revealed with reference to its intended use, by determining 1) its location in sentences, 2) the part of speech (only JFL learners), and 3) the communication setting. The following hypotheses were supported. 1-1 Both JSL learners and JFL learners use “yoda” from a predicate by a non-predicate. 1-2 Both JSL learners and JFL learners use “mitaida” from a non-predicate by a predicate. 2-1 JFL learners use “yoda” from a noun, when the part of speech to connect to is a verb. 2-2 JFL learners use “mitaida” from a verb, when the part of speech to connect to is a noun. 3-1 Both JSL learners and JFL learners use “yoda” from “informal scene” by “formal scene.” 3-2 Both JSL learners and JFL learners use “mitaida” from “formal scene” by “informal scene.” The conclusions of this study can be summarized by the following four points： (1) From the perspective of “mood”, there is no difference between the two items, but it cannot be affirmed that the two items do not differ in terms of the co-occurrence relation with other grammar and usage trends. (2) The learning process is influenced by the learning environment. (3) The part of speech does not play a central role in the language acquisition of Japanese learners(JSL). (4) The influence relation with a part of speech depends on the learning environment.

Pronominal interpretations in L2 Japanese

Abstract This paper investigates L2 learners’ interpretations of Japanese overt and empty pronouns by utilizing a truth value judgment task. The results show evidence contrary to Kanno’s (1997, 1998) claims that JFL learners have knowledge that Japanese overt pronouns cannot have quantifier antecedents from an early stage of learning. The results of the present study show evidence that JFL learners display knowledge of the coreferential readings of Japanese pronouns from an early stage of learning. However, this does not appear to be the case for the bound variable readings. In contrast, advanced learners show knowledge that overt pronouns cannot have bound variable readings. From these results we argue that: (1) it takes time to acquire the knowledge that overt pronouns cannot refer to quantifiers and (2) the JFL learners employed an L1 transfer strategy in the interpretation of Japanese overt pronouns.

Empirical Research on the Behavioural Characteristics of Outstanding Japanese Language Teachers : From the Standpoint of JFL Learners at the Secondary and Tertiary Levels in New Zealand

Empirical Research on the Behavioural Characteristics of Outstanding Japanese Language Teachers : From the Standpoint of JFL Learners at the Secondary and Tertiary Levels in New Zealand

Individual Variation in a Japanese Sentence Comprehension Task: Form, Functions, and Strategies

This article reports on follow-up analyses of Sasaki's (in press) competition experiment study of Japanese sentence comprehension strategies. Individualbased analyses are contrasted with group statistics which were reported earlier. A competition experiment was conducted to investigate the double-object active and transitive causative sentence processing strategies by English-speaking learners of Japanese (JFL learners), and how immediate error feedback affects them. Six native Japanese speakers and nine JFL learners participated in the study. The participants were required to identify the agents of the main lexical verb ('doers') in a series of Japanese sentences, each consisting of one verb and three noun phrases, in which word order and case-marking cues either competed or were consistent with each other. (These were all grammatical sentences: i.e. they were morphosyntactically well formed. Also, the sentences were all semantically interpretable. ) In the first (pre-test) and last (post-test) parts of the study participants received no feedback as to the accuracy of their responses, whereas in the middle part they received immediate feedback. The stimulus sentences were such that a listener could determine the semantic role of noun phrases (actor, causer, or recipient) only by taking into consideration both the case markers and the verb's voice (active vs. causative). The analyses indicated tremendous individual differences within each group. Some learners demonstrated an evident word order bias, and a subset of the native Japanese revealed an even stronger word order dependency than the learners, to such an extent that they were outperformed by learners in the accuracy in interpreting non-canonical sentences. The results are explained in terms of the working memory constraint, and directions of further research are discussed

Paths of Processing Strategy Transfers in Learning Japanese and English as Foreign Languages

This paper reports on a competition model experiment designed to investigate the sentence-processing strategies of English-speaking learners of Japanese (JFL learners) and Japanese-speaking learners of English. The participants were required to identify the sentence subject of a series of English and Japanese word strings, each consisting of one verb and two nouns, in which noun-animacy, word-order, and case-marking cues either competed or were consistent with each other. The results indicated a correlation between learners' proficiency in Japanese and case-marker dependency in Japanese strings. JFL learners primarily resorted to animacy cues to interpret Japanese strings, suggesting a prepotent role for lexical semantics. There was little evidence of transfer of surface word order, although some JFL learners resorted to the Japanese canonical SOV order to a greater extent than the native Japanese.