Using Japanese: A Guide to Contemporary Usage

by William McClure

• ISBN13: 9780521641555
• ISBN10: 0521641551
• Edition: Bilingual
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2000-12-11
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

This is a guide to Japanese usage for students who have already acquired the basics of the language and wish to extend their knowledge. Unlike conventional grammars, it gives special attention to those areas of vocabulary and grammar which cause most difficulty to English-speakers. Careful consideration is given throughout to questions of style, register, and politeness which are essential to achieving an appropriate level of formality or informality in writing and speech. There are also sections dealing with a selection of common social rituals such as greetings, introductions and apologies. Clear, readable and easy to consult via its two indexes, this is an essential reference for learners seeking access to the finer nuances of the Japanese language.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	x
Register and Politeness	1	(33)
Japan and Japanese	1	(1)
Introduction	1	(3)
What is neutral speech?	4	(1)
Actual speech	5	(29)
Keeping someone waiting	6	(6)
Construction accident	12	(10)
A day in the life	22	(12)
Words	34	(90)
Word meaning	34	(27)
Homonyms	34	(3)
Character synonyms	37	(24)
Word formation	61	(50)
Reduplication	61	(1)
Compounding	62	(3)
Verbal compounding	65	(11)
Affixing	76	(1)
Honorification and beautification	76	(5)
Prefixes	81	(10)
Suffixes	91	(13)
Suffixes for names	104	(4)
Grammatical suffixes	108	(3)
Borrowed words	111	(13)
Sound changes	112	(5)
Clipping	117	(1)
Meaning changes	118	(2)
Japanese ``borrowed'' words and compounds	120	(2)
Native versus borrowed versus Chinese vocabulary	122	(1)
The grammar of borrowed words	123	(1)
Grammar and verbal strategies	124	(146)
Being vague and indirect	124	(21)
Z versus Z	124	(3)
Transitive and intransitive pairs	127	(2)
Examples	129	(7)
Controllable versus non-controllable	136	(1)
Z	137	(2)
Active and passive	139	(2)
Evidence	141	(4)
Softening	145	(2)
Giving and receiving	147	(3)
Modals	150	(7)
Commands and requests	150	(3)
Permission	153	(1)
Should	154	(2)
Must	156	(1)
Can	157	(1)
Tense and aspect	157	(15)
Simple tenses	159	(1)
Will do, do (future)	159	(1)
Have done, did (past)	159	(1)
Z	160	(5)
Sequences of aspect and tense	165	(3)
Where the tense of the verb is determined	168	(2)
Temporal adverbs	170	(2)
If and when	172	(10)
3.6.1	173	(1)
3.6.2	174	(3)
or	177	(1)
3.6.4	178	(1)
3.6.5	179	(1)
and	179	(1)
What might have been	180	(2)
Particles	182	(43)
3.7.1	182	(2)
versus or	184	(2)
Shared background	186	(1)
Changing or announcing the topic	187	(1)
Contrasting topics	188	(1)
Negative	189	(1)
Grammar	189	(4)
Other topic indicators	193	(1)
3.7.2	194	(1)
3.7.3	195	(1)
3.7.4	195	(1)
Direct objects	195	(2)
Other usages	197	(2)
Grammar	199	(1)
3.7.5	199	(1)
With verbs of motion	199	(4)
Location	203	(2)
Quantities, limits, and times	205	(3)
Grammatical usages of	208	(1)
3.7.6	209	(1)
Location of an event	209	(1)
Means or materials	210	(1)
Limits and numbers	211	(1)
Conditions and reasons	212	(1)
3.7.7	213	(1)
With	213	(2)
Quotative	215	(2)
Idioms with quotative	217	(1)
Only	217	(1)
3.7.9	218	(1)
3.7.10	219	(1)
Sentence final particles	220	(5)
Nouns	225	(8)
Nominal adjectives	227	(1)
Noun +z combinations	228	(1)
Grammar	229	(1)
Examples	230	(3)
Personal reference	233	(4)
Terms of address	233	(1)
Pronouns	234	(1)
Self	235	(2)
Adverbs	237	(11)
Frequency	237	(5)
Temporal	242	(2)
Emphasis (and de-emphasis)	244	(1)
Other rhetorical devices	245	(3)
Quantities and classifiers	248	(14)
Questions words with and	248	(5)
Classifiers	253	(1)
Grammar	253	(1)
Examples	254	(5)
Idioms which include classifiers	259	(1)
Other words of quantity and amount	260	(2)
Onomatopoeia	262	(3)
Conjunctions	265	(5)
Lists of nouns	265	(1)
Conjoining sentences	266	(4)
Language and everyday life	270	(42)
Rituals	270	(24)
Greetings	270	(4)
Enterings	274	(1)
Welcomings	275	(2)
Taking your leave	277	(3)
Apologizing, getting someone's attention, etc.	280	(4)
Expressing thanks	284	(1)
Congratulations	285	(1)
Condolences	286	(1)
Telephone conversations	286	(4)
Introductions	290	(2)
At a person's house (and at meals)	292	(2)
Japan facts	294	(12)
Measurements	294	(1)
Currency and counting	295	(1)
Time and calendars	296	(3)
Names	299	(2)
Letter writing	301	(1)
Postal addresses	301	(2)
Examples	303	(1)
Japanese prefectures and capital cities	303	(3)
Telephones and telephone numbers	306	(1)
Japanese orthography	306	(6)
Ordering Japanese words	310	(1)
Unexpected spellings	310	(2)
Selected references	312	(6)
English index	318	(6)
Japanese index	324