KUKU

KU ScholarWorks

  • myKU
  • Email
  • Enroll & Pay
  • KU Directory
    • Login
    View Item 
    •   KU ScholarWorks
    • Dissertations and Theses
    • Dissertations
    • View Item
    •   KU ScholarWorks
    • Dissertations and Theses
    • Dissertations
    • View Item
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    Explicit teaching of Japanese mimetic words using voicing, gemintion, and reduplication rules

    Thumbnail
    View/Open
    Nakata_ku_0099D_15236_DATA_1.pdf (1.965Mb)
    Issue Date
    2017-05-31
    Author
    Nakata, Kotoko
    Publisher
    University of Kansas
    Format
    191 pages
    Type
    Dissertation
    Degree Level
    Ph.D.
    Discipline
    Linguistics
    Rights
    Copyright held by the author.
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Abstract
    Mimetics are commonly used by Japanese native speakers to express the manner of actions and sensations. However, they are often not taught explicitly in many Japanese language classrooms. The current study tested a novel teaching methodology to help English-speaking learners of Japanese learn Japanese mimetics. Second language learners were explicitly taught three phonological/morphological rules during learning. The three rules are: (i) voicing, (ii) gemination, and (iii) reduplication. In Japanese mimetics, these phonological/morphological factors systematically affect the meaning of mimetics. The current study examined whether explicitly teaching these three rules helps English-speaking learners of Japanese, who vary in Japanese proficiency, acquire mimetics as well as help them generalize these rules to newly encountered mimetics. The procedure used a Pretest-Learning-Posttest design. First, all participants took a Pretest. Approximately one week later, all participants learned mimetics during a Learning Session. In the Learning Session, all participants were taught 32 mimetic words with a verbal description and a static picture along with a sentence that contained the mimetic word. There were two different participant groups in the Learning Session: an Experimental Group and a Control Group. The Experimental group explicitly learned the three phonological/morphological rules while the Control group did not. Finally, all learners participated in a Posttest and a Delayed posttest (approximately 4 weeks later) to assess their retention of the mimetic vocabulary. We found that the novel teaching methodology (teaching mimetics with a picture and a context along with a verbal description) is effective in acquiring and remembering mimetics. Participants showed a great improvement after the Learning Session for both the trained mimetics and newly introduced mimetics, suggesting that participants successfully learned the mimetics and the sound regularities both with and without the explicit introduction of the three phonological/morphological rules. Additionally, we also found that learners who were explicitly taught the three phonological/morphological rules showed a greater improvement than those who were not. Therefore, the explicit introduction of the sound regularities is more effective in the current methodology. We also found that the proposed methodology is effective regardless of learners’ proficiency in Japanese. While advanced learners overall acquired more mimetics than beginning learners, beginning learners showed a greater improvement than advanced learners. These results suggest that teaching mimetics does not need to be limited to advanced learners (as it often is in Japanese language classrooms) but it should be encouraged for learners at all levels.
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/1808/26342
    Collections
    • Linguistics Dissertations and Theses [95]
    • Dissertations [4472]

    Items in KU ScholarWorks are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.


    We want to hear from you! Please share your stories about how Open Access to this item benefits YOU.


    Contact KU ScholarWorks
    785-864-8983
    KU Libraries
    1425 Jayhawk Blvd
    Lawrence, KS 66045
    785-864-8983

    KU Libraries
    1425 Jayhawk Blvd
    Lawrence, KS 66045
    Image Credits
     

     

    Browse

    All of KU ScholarWorksCommunities & CollectionsThis Collection

    My Account

    LoginRegister

    Statistics

    View Usage Statistics

    Contact KU ScholarWorks
    785-864-8983
    KU Libraries
    1425 Jayhawk Blvd
    Lawrence, KS 66045
    785-864-8983

    KU Libraries
    1425 Jayhawk Blvd
    Lawrence, KS 66045
    Image Credits
     

     

    The University of Kansas
      Contact KU ScholarWorks
    Lawrence, KS | Maps
     
    • Academics
    • Admission
    • Alumni
    • Athletics
    • Campuses
    • Giving
    • Jobs

    The University of Kansas prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, ancestry, disability, status as a veteran, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, gender identity, gender expression and genetic information in the University’s programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Director of the Office of Institutional Opportunity and Access, IOA@ku.edu, 1246 W. Campus Road, Room 153A, Lawrence, KS, 66045, (785)864-6414, 711 TTY.

     Contact KU
    Lawrence, KS | Maps