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Journal of Japanese Linguistics 29 (2013)
An Introduction to Japanese Linguistics, 3rd Edition, by Natsuko Tsujimura. Oxford:
Wiley-Blackwell, 2013, Pp. 480, $49.95 (paper).
Reviewed by Seth Goss
The Ohio State University
In what has become the standard textbook and reference for students of Japanese linguistics, Introduction
to Japanese Linguistics (Intro, hereafter) is now in its third edition. As with previous editions, this volume
provides a comprehensive introduction to the field of Japanese linguistics by addressing each of the main
areas of linguistic inquiry. Beginning with phonetics in chapter 2, the subsequent chapters present a survey
of phonology (chapter 3), morphology (chapter 4), syntax (chapter 5), and semantics (chapter 6). Each
chapter describes the major linguistic features of Japanese, drawing on results from decades of research by
prominent scholars in the field. The author presents the critical findings in prose that is easily accessible
for advanced undergraduates or graduate students just beginning their study of Japanese linguistics, and
also discusses the more complex phenomena in sufficient detail for experienced readers seeking
background for research on Japanese. The former audience will likely benefit from using Intro in a
classroom setting — along with working through the chapter-final exercises — while the latter will find
the book suitable as a reference for identifying specific linguistic phenomena. As such, the reviewer feels
that the current version, the product of two major revisions, is well-suited to a wide range of audiences. As
many readers will likely be familiar with one of the previous editions, I will incorporate discussion of the
many significant updates throughout the review.
The book features seven chapters, progressing in the traditional order found in linguistics
textbooks, from phonetics to semantics. Chapter 1 introduces the reader to basic concepts of linguistic
theory, as well as to the author’s primary theoretical standpoint, through the example of child language
acquisition. The author uses the example of child errors in the regular/irregular verb contrast in English
past tense formation to make the point that some degree of language knowledge is innate, and that children
rely on this innate knowledge to form generalizations and actively test these during the acquisition process
(Pinker 1989). Accordingly, the author establishes the notion of hypothesis testing as central to linguistic
analysis.
In chapter 2, phonetics, the focus of Intro shifts specifically to Japanese. Beginning with the
phonetic inventory, the reader is introduced to the characteristics of the sounds of Japanese, primarily by
means of contrast with English phones. The author discusses topics relevant to both students of Japanese
and researchers by providing ample description of phonetic phenomena such as co-articulation, geminate
consonants, and vowel length. Spectrograms, absent in the previous edition, clearly illustrate to the reader
the duration differences between consonant and vowel length contrasts, both of which are vital for
distinguishing meaning in spoken Japanese. The pitch accent system of Japanese is also described in detail
in the newly added “Suprasegmentals” section, but the reviewer would like to see visual representations of
pitch accent contours as was done with length contrasts. New to the 3rd edition, the “Acquisition Issues”
section at the end of the chapter discusses research related to both first (L1) and second (L2) language
acquisition of the sounds of Japanese.
Chapter 3 provides substantial coverage of the phonological system of Japanese. The author
explains vowel devoicing thoroughly, while concurrently instructing the reader on the notation and method
by which phonological rules are constructed. This hands-on approach is also employed in characterizing
nasal assimilation and various consonant alternations. Rendaku (連濁, lit. ‘sequential voicing’), one of the
more intricate phonological features of Japanese, receives its own section in which word compounding and
50 Book Review
the resulting voicing relationships are vividly illustrated with tree structures. Explanations in this chapter
are clear and proceed logically, but this is likely one of the most challenging sections in this book for those
new to phonological theory. Japanese contains a number of interesting phonological phenomena not found
in English, and Intro provides excellent coverage in this substantial chapter. In the current edition, the
phonology chapter has been significantly reorganized so that each subsection builds more closely on facts
presented in the previous section. For example, the discussion of length requirements (section 3.4) now
follows the introduction of the concept of the mora (3.3), both of which are important for understanding the
subsequent section on accentuation in Japanese (3.6).
Morphology, the study of word formation and structure, is the focus of chapter 4. The
representation of the major word classes in Japanese, including those not found in English like adjectival
and verbal nouns, are outlined early in the chapter, setting the stage for more in-depth discussion of word
formation later in the chapter. The author introduces “Issues in Japanese” in several parts — we first
encounter transitive/intransitive verb pairs, nominalization, and compounding. Compounding receives a
particularly thorough treatment in this book, reflecting one of the most active areas of research on Japanese
morphology. We learn that the lexical properties of individual members interact in intricate ways when
forming compounds, such as the contrast between the tightly bound lexical compound verbs (e.g.,
tori-atukau ‘handle’) and the less restricted syntactic ones (e.g., yomi-owaru ‘finish reading’).
Chapter 5 introduces the reader to the syntactic structure of Japanese. Greatly revised from
previous editions, this chapter features a simplified discussion of phrase structure rules, the omission of
many of the syntactic trees, and the removal of some syntax-specific terminology. For instance, theoretical
concepts such as c-command and X-bar theory have been removed, and the section on null anaphora is
now referred to by the presumably more accessible term noun ellipsis. The resulting chapter is very
reader-friendly for the beginning student, but those seeking a more in-depth analysis may prefer the
chapter in previous editions. However, despite this simplification, the chapter is not lacking in its depth of
description and abundance of examples. Important phenomena receiving detailed coverage include
scrambling, reflexives (zibun), and the passive and causative constructions, all of which are still very
active areas of research in Japanese linguistics. This chapter leaves no pertinent area of Japanese syntax
untouched, and provides a solid introduction, including important recent research on syntactic acquisition
not available for previous editions (e.g., Ozeki & Shirai 2007).
Chapter 6 covers semantics, with the presentation of pragmatics also subsumed under its scope.
Our attention is drawn to differences in the so-called entailment relationships between Japanese-English
verb pairs, such as the structurally-related pair moyasu/moeru (‘I burn it’/’It burns’). In Japanese, the first
member of this pair does not entail that the second event occurred, as it would in English. Deixis, or
situation/context-dependent language, is also given considerable explanation, reflecting the frequent use
of the so-called ko-so-a-do series of demonstrative words found in Japanese. The author discusses the
concept of giving and receiving, which is intimately tied to the knowledge of in-group/out-group
relationships and expressed linguistically by means of complex verb morphology. Finally, tense and aspect,
a common area of difficulty for both L1 and L2 Japanese learners, are dealt with in considerable detail.
The book concludes with chapter 7 on language variation. Here the focus is mainly on dialectal
variation within Japan, with particular attention to sound-related differences found across dialects, as in
the pronunciation of the high-back vowel /u/ in eastern and western Japan. Other topics of interest to
sociolinguists include speech style and gender-related differences.
Intro is a volume capable of serving many roles, from textbook to reference. Now in its 3rd edition,
Intro has undoubtedly been refined through its updates. A main strength of this book is its wealth of
examples in each chapter, which clearly illustrate for the reader the material under discussion. Accordingly,
these examples make this book suitable for a wide audience — providing a starting point for classroom
Book Review 51
discussions, material for practice exercises, and a knowledge base for identifying research topics. As a
pedagogical tool, the chapter-final exercises provide readymade material for assignments, and the
recommended readings at the end of each chapter point the reader towards more specialized sources. The
reviewer, for one, benefitted from the recommended readings as a graduate student who was seeking
sources for further reading. Furthermore, the addition of an Acquisition Issues section at the end of each
chapter, instead of as a stand-alone chapter as in the previous edition, provides readers with a more focused
overview of recent findings. Graduate students who specialize in second language acquisition will greatly
appreciate this addition.
Despite the numerous strengths of this volume, a few minor weaknesses can be pointed out. First,
depending on the particular interests of the reader, some may find the coverage slightly unbalanced. For
example, in the morphology chapter verb compounding is discussed at great length, while relative clauses
in the syntax chapter are allotted substantially fewer pages. The reviewer would also like to see a
description of intonation and its interaction with sentence-final particles (ka/yo/ne), which is absent from
both the phonetics and phonology chapters. Finally, given the increasing focus on psycholinguistic
research in recent years, the inclusion of a chapter that highlights findings from language processing
studies on Japanese would likely give this volume even greater appeal. Considering the sheer volume of
studies looking at real-time processing of Japanese in both L1 and L2, such a chapter would be of
particular interest to graduate students seeking new methods with which to investigate the language.
Ultimately, Intro deserves its place as one of the central references on Japanese linguistics for its
breadth of coverage, highly accessible presentation, and its abundant examples. Despite the ambitious
scope of the text, the author does not omit important details where they are needed most, undoubtedly a
difficult task when covering all the major areas of linguistic analysis in a well-researched language like
Japanese. The 3rd edition of Intro firmly places it as the go-to reference for students of Japanese linguistics
for years to come.
References
Pinker, Steven. 1989. Learnability and cognition: The acquisition of argument structure. Cambridge, MA:
MIT Press.
Ozeki, Hiromi and Shirai, Yasuhiro. 2007. Does the noun phrase accessibility hierarchy predict the
difficulty order in the acquisition of Japanese relative clauses? Studies in Second Language
Acquisition 29. 169-196.
Seth Goss
The Ohio State University
goss.33@osu.edu
