Course Description
This course is designed for the major in Japanese language and literature. It aims to provide the student with the necessary technical and methodological tools to write a successful research paper on a Japanese topic. Specifically, the course content will deal with the following topics.
- Reference material for Japanese: Where to find them, how to use them.
- Transliteration: Romanization and Japanese.
- The limits of translation: Translation as interpretation.
- Methodology: What is text, context and intertext.
- General Course on Linguisitics: Saussure.
- Orientalism: Said.
- Mythology: Barthes.
- Difference: Derrida.
Requirements: Fall Semester
Sessions spent to discuss the general technical and methodological aspects of writing a research paper. Besides the assignments and readings for discussion, you will be required to prepare for your topic, present a general outline in class and submit an annotated bibliography of material you intend to use in your research paper. The topic should be related to Japanese linguistics, literature or culture. You also have the option to do a translation.
Requirements: Spring Semester
The semester is spent writing your paper. You will be required to meet with the instructor at least once a month (4 times) with progress reports before final submission. An initial or rough draft is not required but recommended by Spring break. The research paper should be approximately 7000 words long. A translation should be of similar length excluding a 2500 word introduction.
