Japanese Learners Research Articles

A Study of Foreign Language Errors in Korean Language Education through the Analysis of Japanese Language Learners' Corpus

A Study of Foreign Language Errors in Korean Language Education through the Analysis of Japanese Language Learners' Corpus

Measuring the English vocabulary acquisition of Japanese learners

The measurable vocabulary knowledge of Japanese learners of English (JLEs) has yet to be fully investigated. This study, therefore, attempts a detailed investigation of JLEs’ vocabulary knowledge to clarify the relationship between the frequency of words and their difficulty level and to identify the factors that affect the difficulty of vocabulary learning. We tested 192 university-level JLEs on 1,035 verbs, requesting that they choose a correct Japanese translation. The average number of correct answers for each verb was compared with its frequency ranking. Moreover, the characteristics of verbs that received high and low percentages of correct answers were examined. The three major findings were as follows. First, the average number of correct answers was 751.97 (72.65% of the verbs investigated). Second, the average number of correct answers decreased as the frequency of the verb decreased. However, this tendency diminished beyond the 4,000-word level. Finally, not a few low-frequency verbs garnered a high percentage of correct answers; these were verbs that included affixes or were English loanwords that were possibly known to JLEs. However, other low-frequency verbs received a low percentage of correct answers because they had abstract or multiple meanings and lacked clues that could facilitate an understanding of the word’s meaning. We concluded that these were the main factors affecting the degree of difficulty in learning each vocabulary item. Regarding this study’s pedagogical implications, efficient use should be made of English-based loanwords and affixes, and university-level JLEs should intentionally learn low-frequency words.

Wh-questions in Japanese: Challenges for Vietnamese L2 learners

The study explored how Vietnamese learners of Japanese handle structural differences in wh-questions. Despite both being wh-in-situ languages, the divergent word order poses challenges for Vietnamese learners. The research involved 65 high school students with 2.5 to 13 years of Japanese learning. Survey results showed a positive correlation between Japanese proficiency and performance. Students were more accurate when Japanese wh-questions mirrored Vietnamese word order, especially in ‘why’ and ‘when’ questions. Difficulties arose when structures differed. Advanced learners could acquire L2 wh-questions with parametric values distinct from L1, but native-like interpretations in Japanese remained challenging. The study advocates for explicit classroom instruction on Japanese wh-question word order, particularly with scrambled sentences, to enhance accuracy and improve overall teaching effectiveness.

After Self-Imitation Prosodic Training L2 Learners Converge Prosodically to the Native Speakers

Little attention is paid to prosody in second language (L2) instruction, but computer-assisted pronunciation training (CAPT) offers learners solutions to improve the perception and production of L2 suprasegmentals. In this study, we extend with acoustic analysis a previous research showing the effectiveness of self-imitation training on prosodic improvements of Japanese learners of Italian. In light of the increased degree of correct match between intended and perceived pragmatic functions (e.g., speech acts), in this study, we aimed at quantifying the degree of prosodic convergence towards L1 Italian speakers used as a model for self-imitation training. To measure convergence, we calculated the difference in duration, F0 mean, and F0 max syllable-wise between L1 utterances and the corresponding L2 utterances produced before and after training. The results showed that after self-imitation training, L2 learners converged to the L1 speakers. The extent of the effect, however, varied based on the speech act, the acoustic measure, and the distance between L1 and L2 speakers before the training. The findings from perceptual and acoustic investigations, taken together, show the potential of self-imitation prosodic training as a valuable tool to help L2 learners communicate more effectively.

Learning semantic categories of L2 verbs: The case of cutting and breaking verbs.

To attain native-like proficiency in second-language word usage, learners have to discover intricate semantic categories in the target language. We investigated the factors influencing the development of two aspects of second-language learners' semantic categories: the category center and category boundary of word meanings. In the experiment, second-language learners of Japanese, whose first language is Mandarin, were asked to produce the best verb for 28 videos depicting various cutting and breaking events. Descriptive analyses were conducted to compare the verb patterns used by second-language learners with those of native speakers. The second-language learners' verb use pattern suggested their struggle in delineating the semantic ranges of breaking verbs in a native-like manner. Model analyses further revealed that different factors contribute to learning two different aspects of word meanings. The learning category center of word meaning depended on the similarity between the lexical domains in the first and second languages. On the contrary, the success of learning the semantic boundaries of verbs required a large input frequency and smaller semantic coverage, and smaller category ambiguity. The results suggest that constructing a semantic domain in the second language should be evaluated from at least two different aspects of semantic representation.

Caring and loving teachers online: personality in the feminized labour of Filipina English Language teachers

Abstract What kind of people are language teachers? In this article we address this question by examining commercial forms of language teaching in which personality functions in the evaluation of particular teachers as “good” or “suitable” for particular learners. We relate commercial forms of the online teaching of English to global political economic changes in which affective labour in service work, and the feminization of labour, have involved new gendered relations between the global North and South in recent decades. We focus on the emergence of particular forms of commercial online English teaching that bring Filipina teacher labour into relation with Japanese learners as customers. We relate the affective nature of the labour Filipina teachers are expected to perform, in terms of being teachers who are kind, cheerful, always smiling, and able to produce a feeling of ease or relaxation in their learner-customers, to the feminization of labour in service industries more broadly. We present the feminized affective labour of Filipina teachers of English, as an illustration of the partiality and situatedness of discourses of personality in online platforms and customer reviews. Here, personality becomes salient for teachers within particular gendered and racialised relations, where personality serves a substitutionary role in compensating for professional skill, knowledge or nativeness. As such, discourses of personality draw on patriarchal notions of women as “naturally caring” or “working out of love” which permeate low paid and precarious forms of language teaching. We conclude by discussing future directions and issues for work which examines the object of teachers’ care or love – caring or loving for who or what?

Penerapan Teknik Shadowing dalam Kegiatan Menyimak Bahasa Jepang pada Siswa Kelas X SMA

Listening is the most basic skill in language learning. A voice that cannot be heard, cannot be pronounced properly. If you don't understand what the other person is saying, then you can't participate in communication. The purpose of this study was to find out the results of the application of the Shadowing learning model in listening to Japanese learning activities for class X students at SMAN 5 Malang, specifically focusing on Chouon (long vowel) with the theme "Self Introduction/Jikoshoukai". The number of participants was 22 students of class X specializing in language. The instrument used is Pre-Test Post-Test in the form of multiple choice questions and fill in gaps in sentences. The data analysis technique used a comparative hypothesis test or comparison test. The results of this study were, the average value of the pre-test (before treatment) was 36.2 and the average value of the post-test (after treatment) was 62.5. From these results, it can be concluded that the implication of the shadowing technique as one of interactive methode in learning language, can improves students' listening skills, especially the ability to distinguish long and short forms of Japanese words.

Study on the Cross-language Influence of Japanese Learning and English Learning

The purpose of this study is to explore the interaction between Japanese learning and English learning and its impact on language learners, as well as cross-language teaching strategies and practices. Based on the literature research method and comprehensive analysis method, based on the overview of the cross-language influence theory, this paper analyzes the mutual influence mechanism of Japanese learning and English learning, including the comparison and cross-influence of phonological learning, vocabulary learning and grammar learning. Then, it discusses the influence of cross-language influence on the cognitive mechanism of language learners and analyzes the causes of language transfer. Finally, the paper puts forward cross-language teaching strategies and practices, including the exploration of cross-language teaching models, effective cross-language teaching strategies of Japanese and English, and the application prospects of cross-language teaching in language education. Based on this research, we can better understand the interaction between Japanese and English learning, and provide theoretical support and practical guidance for cross-language teaching.

L1 Japanese Perceptual Drift in Late Learners of L2 English

This study presents evidence of second language (L2) influence on first language (L1) perception of alveolar stops. Sixty-one L1 Japanese late learners of L2 English (onset ~12 years old) in Japan (N = 31) and in the US (N = 30) participated. We examined late L2 learners’ L2 perceptual ability and L1 perception drift by administering three perception tasks (AX discrimination, forced categorization, and goodness rating) on word-initial stop consonants. The L2 learners’ L1 Japanese and L2 English data were compared to those of Japanese and English monolinguals, respectively (N = 21, N = 16). All participants’ production data were also gathered to examine potential perception-production relationships. Late learners’ sensitivity patterns along a synthesized /da–ta/ continuum differed significantly from those of monolingual speakers, with a sensitivity peak location between the monolingual Japanese and English groups. This suggests that late learners’ voicing category boundaries may have been influenced by L2 English learning. The L2 learners’ goodness rating patterns of L1 Japanese stimuli also showed evidence of L1 perceptual drift: L2 learners tended to be more accepting of Japanese stimuli with longer VOTs compared to Japanese monolinguals.

Japanese Language Intonation By Japanese Language Education Students

When learning Japanese we will come across sentences that are the same but have different meanings. Because of the similarity of the sentences, many students who study Japanese often make mistakes in pronouncing the sentence and also in understanding the true meaning of it. In written language, the meaning of sentences in Japanese can be distinguished by punctuation. For example, an interrogative sentence can be distinguished by looking at the ka(か) particle behind the sentence, then a command sentence, and so on can be identified by looking at the predicate. However, in conversations, especially informal conversations, it becomes vague, for example, the loss of the ka(か) particle in interrogative sentences and so on. This can be understood by the interlocutor when we use the right intonation. In learning Japanese, less is taught about intonation differences, and there are many misunderstandings when communicating with Japanese people. Therefore, the researcher did study about the difference in meaning caused by intonation in the same sentence. This study aimed to identify intonation in sentences produced by students of the Japanese language study program. This research was carried out using exploratory qualitative research methods and data were collected using in-depth interviews. The data collected in the form of spoken sentences spoken by Japanese language study program students who are also native Japanese were classified, analyzed, and then described in writing. Interview transcripts were analyzed using thematic content analysis using a Speech Analyzer (SA) as a tool for recording, transcribing, and analyzing speech sounds. Linguists and ethnomusicologists can use SA to investigate, imitate, and explain the acoustic sounds of human language. The main respondents were students of the UNIMA Japanese Language Education Study Program. The number of respondents targeted was 30 people with a duration of 15 min of interviews. The selection of respondents were 5th-semester students who had studied Japanese for approximately 2 years and met the criteria of having studied bunpo and dokkai. Other data sources are in the form of linguistic theory and language comparison
 Keywords: language, intonation, Japanese, , education, students

Kanji Learning for Japanese Language Learners with `Phyctograph' Memory Strategy

The choice of teaching and studying strategies for language gaining knowledge of strategies have to be primarily based on the consideration of putting students as learning topics who no longer do what is conveyed by the educator. Coaching Japanese especially kanji through the usage of diverse learning strategies makes it easier for Japanese language learners, mainly in mastering Japanese letters/kanji. The mastering strategy used is an instantaneous method and an oblique method. Direct strategy is an approach, this is directly associated with foreign language mastering. It is directly associated with language in numerous obligations and situations, which include (1) reminiscence strategies, (2) cognitive strategies, and (3) compensation strategies. Letters are a very important thing in learning Japanese because Japanese has very complex writing. A kanji can convey many meanings, therefore it is said that the number of kanji is almost the same as the number of objects in the world. To minimize the difficulty in learning kanji, ways to understand meaning through its constituent elements are needed, namely: Recognizing the pictography and the kanji parts (bushu部首), for example, the character kuchihen (口) which is a symbol related to the mouth or lips. This kanji when combined with other characters can form meanings related to the mouth, lips, or speech. Pictographs are signs in the form of pictures in the ancient writing system. So, with pictographs you can find out how the kanji really is and can imagine the real form of the kanji. This research was conducted with the experimental method. The grouping of subjects was done randomly. The study’s layout used is the one organization Pre-test and put up-check design (one institution Pre-take a look at submit-check). This layout consists of an unmarried institution that acts as an experimental magnificence, this is given a preliminary check (pre-take a look at) earlier than remedy and a final test (post-check) after treatment. The results of the t-test obtained were quite top results, namely the value of t = 1,945. This end result as compared with the t-value inside the t-distribution table, which is 1,729, means that it is acceptable to say that there has been a change and an increase in students’ understanding of kanji. Thus, the effectiveness of the use of pictograph media has been well-tested.
 Keywords: Memory strategy, kanji, Japanese, learning, phyctograph

A Comparative Analysis of Japanese Learners’ Translation Bias Using Neurosemantic Analysis

Abstract In today’s increasingly frequent cultural exchanges between China and Japan, accurate and error-free Japanese translation has become an inevitable choice for cross-cultural communication. In this paper, based on twin neural network and attention mechanism, BiLSTM model is combined with sentence semantic similarity matching algorithm to construct a Japanese translation bias sentence semantic similarity model. The Japanese corpus data were collected and preprocessed by Python technology, and the Japanese translation corpus database was searched and counted using Wordsmith and AntConc tools. For the Japanese learners’ translation bias in the Japanese translation process, a comparative analysis was carried out in several aspects, such as end-of-sentence modal expressions, consecutive translations, and word frequency effects. The study results show that the difference in the frequency distribution of Japanese learners’ modal expressions is only 4.66% compared with that of native speakers of Japanese. Still, the difference between the two is significant at the 1% level, and the difference in the frequency of Japanese learners’ use of the modal expression “yes” is 56 sentences per 10,000 sentences. The frequency of Japanese learners’ use of successive expressions was 30.1 percentage points higher than that of native speakers. The neural semantic analysis method combined with the Japanese translation corpus can clarify the translation bias of Japanese learners in the process of Japanese translation, which can provide a reference for enhancing the translation quality of Japanese learning.

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF LIKARI APPLICATION (FIVE WORDS IN ONE DAY) IN IMPROVING STUDENTS’ JAPANESE VOCABULARY MASTERY.

This study aimed to explore the effectiveness of using Likari application (five \nwords a day) in improving students` Japanese vocabulary. The main reason is because \nof the development of technology which is growing so rapidly. It makes learning applications become very popular media that help the students in learning Japanese. \nThis study involved 100 Senior High School students in Padang City who were taken \nby random sampling where they used Likari application during 60 days. This study was \ndesign as development research method used pre-test and post-test as instrument to \nmeasure the increasing of students` ability in mastering Japanese vocabulary. The \nresults of this study showed that the average scores of the students in mastering \nJapanese vocabulary was increased 40%. In addition, the results of interviews with \nstudents revealed that 90% of students felt more motivated and active in using the \napplication compared to conventional learning which was quite boring for students\nwhich popular called as generation Z. These findings indicated that Likari as a learning \napplication can be an effective solution in improving students` vocabulary mastery, \nespecially in learning Japanese.

Quantitative Analysis of the Teaching Effectiveness of the Language Acquisition Model in Japanese Language and Culture Education

Abstract In the process of applying traditional teaching forms, problems such as low participation in classroom activities and poor independent learning are gradually highlighted. This paper first designs the task-based cooperative language acquisition model then constructs the supervision and management system for cooperative learning, and finally establishes the evaluation mechanism for task-based cooperative learning. This paper uses the questionnaire survey method, Pearson correlation coefficient method, principal component analysis method, and multiple regression analysis methods as data analysis methods. By establishing a mathematical model, the parameters to be estimated are listed, and then these data are fitted, and finally, a statistical analysis is performed. Through the questionnaire survey method, this paper verified that the method had a positive effect on students’ Japanese learning; 46.2% of students enjoyed learning Japanese, and 92.3% participated in group discussions. The effectiveness of Japanese language teaching was assessed by extracting three main factors through principal component analysis, which were summarised as pre-study performance, classroom performance, and individual thinking performance. Under the language acquisition model, teachers can improve students’ learning effectiveness by monitoring and encouraging their performance on these three indicators.

Underpassivization Errors by Japanese EFL Learners: A Theoretical Analysis

It is widely known that English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners wrongly produce passives with intransitive verbs such as happen and appear, which is called overpassivization. This study aims to explore constructions with the prototypical dative verb give and provide a theoretical account of errors that Japanese EFL learners frequently make based on data collected from the Japanese EFL Learner Corpus. The results reveal cases in which the sentence looks active, but its interpretation is passive, called underpassivization. For example, I gave this book, we infer that “I” is the person who offered this toy to someone. However, a detailed analysis reveals cases in which “I” refers to the recipient of the toy; that is, the speaker intended to say “I was given this toy.” This corpus-based study assumes that underpassivization errors are created by moving the recipient originating in VP to the specifier position of IP, the subject position.

Relação entre o confucionismo chinês e a língua japonesa moderna: tomando “Eu sou um gato” como exemplo

Abstract: Confucian thought provides guidance on social structure and political governance. It was introduced to Japan as early as the fourth century AD (Anno Domini) and has been deeply imprinted in Japan’s history and culture for thousands of years. This article takes I am a cat as a specific example to analyze the specific Confucian ideas reflected in Japanese relational language. I am a cat is a classic work by the famous modern Japanese satirist Soseki Natsume. From the specific reflection of I am a cat, Japanese relational language includes Confucian concepts of superiority and inferiority, loyalty and filial piety, harmony and gratitude, as well as the concepts of propriety, benevolence and righteousness. It also reflects that Confucian philosophy has penetrated into Japanese related language. In such research, Japanese learners can gain a more intuitive understanding of the impact of Confucianism on modern Japanese relational language to improve the learning effectiveness. It also helps to develop the understanding of the influence of Confucian culture on Japan.

User Behavior Analysis and Optimization of Japanese Language Online Education Platforms

Abstract Japanese language instruction at universities has gained new life thanks to the quick growth of online learning via the Internet, microclasses, flipped classrooms, and other innovative teaching methods. This is the direction of future educational reform in colleges and universities. After gathering and pre-processing behavioral data of Japanese learners, this study builds a data analysis model of Japanese online learning user behavior based on the Japanese online education platform. In this model, user behavioral features are extracted and classified using the RFG-SVM model, which is based on SVM. Users with similar user behaviors are then clustered together using the FCM algorithm, and the association rule algorithm is utilized to explore the intricate relationship between user online learning behaviors and learning effects. Lastly, the FSQCA approach is used to investigate the optimization path of Japanese online education platforms after combining with example analysis. The most significant aspect of Japanese online learning is its online learning rate (0.7499). Users can be categorized into three groups: close cooperation (52.3%), active participation (6.1%), and weak participation (41.6%). Japanese online learners also exhibit better user behavior. The consistency indexes for Grouping H1: SI*LA*CC*HA, Grouping H2: ~SQ*CQ*SI*~LA*CC, and Grouping H3: SQ*CQ*SI*~LA*HA were 0.929, 0.959, and 0.965, respectively, with both social influence (SI) and habit (HA) serving as important requisites. This study helps to form a mature mechanism that prompts Japanese online education users to develop a continuous willingness to use the program, which contributes to the development of inclusive education to a certain extent.

Diversified and Innovative Practices of Japanese Language Teaching Based on Multi-Cohort Structural Modeling

Abstract The traditional teaching mode can no longer meet the diversified needs of current students, so exploring effective teaching methods has become an important issue in education. Language education, particularly Japanese language teaching, is facing unprecedented challenges and opportunities due to globalization. The technique of multi-group structural modeling is used to explore the diversified and innovative practices of Japanese language teaching in this paper. The study analyzes the perceived differences between different groups of students in learning Japanese, and discusses the key factors that affect the effectiveness of learning Japanese. The study utilizes accurate survey data and incorporates teacher-student support, teaching conditions, teacher quality, and language atmosphere. These factors greatly influenced Japanese language learning outcomes, with teacher and student support being the most prominent factor, which explained 22% of the variance in learning outcomes. Structural equation modeling analysis further verified the positive influence of teaching conditions and teacher literacy on teaching satisfaction. The study verified the validity of multicluster structural modeling in the practice of Japanese language teaching innovation through the comparative experiments between the experimental class and the control class, in which the experimental class’s performance in Japanese intensive reading was higher than that of the control class after adopting the innovative teaching path. So, the diversified and creative practice of teaching Japanese based on the multicluster structural model improves students’ learning effectiveness and teaching satisfaction.

The benefits of music in learning Japanese and the application of YouTube in enhancing kanji proficiency

The benefits of music in learning Japanese and the application of YouTube in enhancing kanji proficiency

Effects of Habit-Enhanced Assignment Design on Learning Behaviors and Psychological Factors of Japanese EFL Learners Under a Distant Online Learning Environment

Effects of Habit-Enhanced Assignment Design on Learning Behaviors and Psychological Factors of Japanese EFL Learners Under a Distant Online Learning Environment