Welcome to Japanese 1

LAJ1201Japanese
Lecture1

January12,2015

TeachingStaff
FullTimestaff
Dr.AMAZAKI,Osamu (Coordinator/Lecturer)
Ms.OTSUKA,Yoko (CoLecturer/Tutor)
Ms.KITAI,Saeko(Tutor)

PartTimeStaff

Ms ASAHARA,Yoshie
Ms KAJI,Yuko
Ms LI,Shan
Ms MATSUOKA,Megumi
MsSHIRAKAWA,Yuko
Ms TAKIGUCHI,Hiroko

Todaysmenu
ModuleOrientation
ClassroomInstructions/usefulexpressions
WritingSystem
Hiragana

IMPORTANT!
BackgroundSurveyForm
Fillintheformandhanditinnoworduringthebreakto
anyfulltimestaff.
(TheformisinStudentsPacket.)
PleasebuyacopyofstudentspacketattheForum Coop
bookstoreASAP.
Evenifyourgenerousfriendgaveyouhis/herold
studentspacket,youhavetobuyanewone.
Pleasebuythetextbooksatthefirstlecture!
4 compulsorybooks

You must have officially published copies.

Using illegal copies in class is not allowed.

TextbooksandOtherMaterials
Compulsory Textbooks
Title

Price

1 Minna no Nihongo Asia Edition 1-1 Main

Textbook (MT)

$15.00

2 Minna no Nihongo Asia Edition 1-1 Translation

& Grammatical Notes (GT)

$10.00

3 Minna no Nihongo Shokyu 1 Hyojun

Mondaishuu (HM)

$18.00

4 Minna no Nihongo Shokyu 1 Kanji (English Edition) $36.00

There are some recommended materials too.

Title
5 Minna no Nihongo Asia Edition 1-1 CD
The ABCs of Japanese: Hiragana and Katakana
6
Workbook

Price
$24.00
$35.00

ScheduleofOncampustextbooksales
Mon,12Jan(Firstlecture)9:3011am&5:307pm
@LT9Entrance
Ifyoumissthesalesatthefirstlecture,youcanbuyatthe
followingtimesandplaces.
13Jan(Tue)

11:30am1pm&5:307pm @LT10Entrance

15Jan(Thu)

5:307pm

@LT8Entrance

19Jan(Mon,2nd Lecture) 3:305pm&5:307pm

@LT9Entrance

SupplementaryPlacementTest

Asstatedinthesurveyform,ifyouhavestudiedtheJapanese
languagebefore,youmayhavetotakeaplacementtest.

Ifyouhavesomepriorknowledge,pleasereporttous.

Attheendoftodayslecture,ifyournameiscalled,youneedto
takeaplacementtestonTuesday,13January.
Time:10:0011:00AM,
Venue:AS4/0603

2:003:00PM(eitherone)

Ifyouarerequiredtotaketheplacementtestbutyouhaveclassesat
theabovescheduledtimes,wewillmakenecessaryarrangements.

JapaneseLanguageProgramme (JLP) offeredby

CentreforLanguageStudies(CLS),NUS

JLPatNUSisoneofthebiggestJapaneselanguageprogrammes notonlyin
Singaporebutalsointheworld

JLPatNUSoffersrichandwellstructuredcurriculumwithlearnercentered
approachesandcomprehensiveandeffectiveinstructionsbyexcellentteachers.
ModulesofferedbyJLP
Japanese1
Japanese2
Japanese3
Japanese4

offered
every semester

Japanese5
Japanese6
BusinessJapanese1
MediaJapanese

offered in either
Sem 1 or Sem 2

AfterfinishingJapanese6withus,yourproficiencylevelisexpectedtoreach
equivalenttothelevelofN2intheJapaneseLanguageProficiencyTest(JLPT),the
secondhighestlevelinthetest,whichistherequiredbymostJapanesecompanies.

JLPatNUS

Richinteractiveeventsandprogrammes
1.SummerImmersionprogrammes inJapan
(ForstudentswhocompletedJapanese2orhighermodules)
2.ProjectWorkwithJapanesepeople(studentsfromJapaneseschoolsin
Singapore,JapaneseuniversitystudentsvisitingSingapore,etc.)
3.Homestayprogramme atJapanesefamiliesinSingapore
4. Manyculturalevents

eRAION
http://courseware.nus.edu.sg/eraion/infor.htm

JLPatNUS

LanguageCertificate
CLS(NUS) issueslanguagecertificatesifyoucompletethefollowingmodules.
Japanese2 Elementary
Japanese5 Intermediate
Japanese6 Advanced
(PleasevisittheCLSwebsiteformoredetails.)

ThroughlearningtheJapaneselanguage,youcan
Enrichyourcareerpath
JobPortal http://blog.nus.edu.sg/eraionjobportal/
JETProgramhttp://www.jetprogramme.org/
http://www.sg.embjapan.go.jp/culture_Jet.htm
UnderstandJapaneseculturebetteranddevelopcrossculturalunderstanding
Developyourcommunicationskills,socialskills,learningstrategies,etc.

CourseInformation
NOTE!
AllimportantinformationisstatedintheStudentsPacket.
Pleasereadalltheinstructionsandcheckthecontentsofthe
packetfirst.
Ifyoucantfindanydescription,thenpleasesendusyour
inquiries.YoucanalsopostthemontheIVLEDiscussionForum.
Modulestructure
Thismoduleconsistsofonelectureandthreetypesoftutorials
(TutorialsA,B,andC)perweek.

Lecture (95 min.)

Tutorial A (95 min.)

Tutorial B(95 min.)

Tutorial C (45 min.)

NewS/UPolicy(witheffectfromAY14/15)

AsapprovedbySenateDelegacyon22April2014

Definition
(unchanged)

Declaration
(unchanged)

Eligibility

AnSgradeisassignedifastudentreceivesaCgradeoraboveforthemodule.
Conversely,studentswillreceiveaUifthegradeobtainedislowerthanaC
grade.
OncetheS/Uoptionisexercisedonamodule,thelettergradewillnotbeshownon
thetranscriptnorcomputedtowardstheCAP.

Tobeconducteduponthereleaseofexaminationresultsandwillendby
thestipulateddeadline.StudentsmustexercisetheirS/Uoptionduring
thisperiodforanymodulethatpermitstheS/Uoption.Thereafter,the
studentsdecisionwillbeconsideredfinal.
TheS/Uoptionisapplicablefor
(i)AllLevel1000modules(exceptfortheEnglishforAcademicPurposes
modules);and
(ii)Level2000moduleswithnootherNUSmodulesasprerequisites.

New rule but only applicable for your 1st semester

Limit

Upto32MCs(8modules)
duringthestudentsfirstsemester,forupto20MCs(5modules);and
anytimeduringastudentscandidature,forupto12MCs(3modules).
OnceanSorUgradeisassignedtoamodule,itwillcounttowardsthe32MC(8module)limit
thatcanbetakenonanS/Ubasis.
12

OnlineTutorialRegistration
OnlineTutorialRegistration on CORSstartsonFriday,16Jan.

Pleasekeepinmindthefollowingpoints:
Youneedtoregisterforone TutorialA,one TutorialB,andone TutorialC each.
ThetutorialgroupnumbersofyourTutorialsA,B,andCdonothaveto bethe
sameaseachother.YoucanchooseanycombinationofTutorialsA,B,andC(e.g.
A1,B15,andC11)basedonyourweeklyschedule.

WerecommendyouNOT tobookconsecutiveclasseswhichforceyouto
transportbetweendifferentcampuses.(Itisalmostimpossibletomakeittoboth
ofthetwoconsecutiveclassesontime.)
Especially:Lec 1(Mon1012@LT9) A2(Mon122@Utown)
A6orA7(Mon46@Utown) Lec 2(Mon68@LT9)

WealsodoNOT recommendyoutotakebothofyourTutorialsBandCon
Thursday,asyoumaynotbeabletohaveenoughtimetoprepareforbothclasses.

UsefulExpressions
Your instructors will use the following expressions in class.
So please memorize them.(Refer to your students packet.)
ClassroomInstructions
4.Kiitekudasai.

Pleaselisten.

5.Ittekudasai.

Pleasesay(it).

11.Mooichidoittekudasai.

Pleasesay(it)

13.(Motto) ookiikoedeittekudasai.
19.

Pleasesay(it)

Iidesuka? Isitcorrect/OK?
Hai(,iidesu).
Iie(,chigaimasu).
Iie(,damedesu).

Yes,itis.(Thatscorrect/OK.)
No,itisnt.(Thatswrong.)
No,itisnt.(ThatsnotOK.)

(Please see Classroom Instructions in Students Packet for more.)

Greetings(Aisatsu)
1.

Ohayoo.
Ohayoo gozaimasu.

= Goodmorning!(casual)
= Goodmorning!(formal)

2. Konnichiwa.

=Goodafternoon.

3.

Konbanwa.

=Goodevening.

5.

Sayoonara.(/sayonara)=Goodbye.

11. Shitsurei shimasu.=Goodbye. /Excuseme(for

leavingtheplace).

Greetings:Whattosay?
Morning
All OK to say?

Ohayoo gozaimasu.

Ohayoo.

Ohayoo.

daytime

Konnichiwa.

A student meets her teacher on her way to school.

Sayoonara.

Shitsurei
shimasu.

Sayoonara.
A student is leaving after having a chat with her teacher.

Aisatsu,etc.
6.

Arigatoo.
Arigatoo gozaimasu.

7.

Sumimasen.

8.

Onegai shimasu. = Please.

(Thespeakerisrequestingsomething.)

9.

Doozo.

10. Doomo.

=Thankyou.(casual)
=Thankyou.(formal)

=Imsorry.
=Thankyouforyourtrouble.

=Please.
(Thespeakerisofferingsomething.)
=Thanks.
(inbothformalandcasualsituations)
Do you know the name of this?

Greetings:Whattosay?
All OK?
Arigatoo
gozaimasu.

Doozo.

Sumimasen.
Arigatoo.
Doomo.

friends mother
serves you drink.

1) You forgot to bring a pen. Your kind teacher lends you a pen.
Teacher Doozo.
You (receiving a pen): ______________________.
2) Which to say when you hand in your homework to your teacher?
You: Onegai shimasu/ Doozo/ Doomo.

EssentialClassroomVocabulary
Your instructors will use the following expressions in class.
So please memorize them.

1.
2.
3.

4.

5.
6.

namae
name
shukudai
homework
shitsumon /
question/
kotae / answer/
rei
example
tesuto /
test/
kuizu /
quiz/
shiken
exam
kyookasho
textbook
renshuupractice

(Therearesomemore.PleaseseeStudentsPacket.)

Renshuu
Now,letshavesomepractice.
1)YourJapaneseclassmateasksyou afterthefirstclass.
Q:Onamae wa?(Whatsyourname?)
You:______desu.((Myname)is_____.)

Answer your family name (or full name).

Speechstyles(formality)
InJapaneseyouhavetochoosetheappropriatespeechstyle
accordingtothecontext,e.g.,whoyouaretalkingto.

Formal
Polite form +
Honorifics (J4)

Polite
Polite form

Casual
Plain form (J2)

WhichstyleisusuallyfoundinJapanesedrama/anime/manga
thatyouarefamiliarwith?
InJapanese1,youmainlylearnthe
honorificexpressions).

style(withafew

JapaneseWritingSystem
HaveyoueverseenJapanesescripts?
threetypesofscripts:
hiragana:
katakana:
kanji:

Canyoutellwhichoneiswhichinthisarticle?

JapaneseWritingSystem
WritingDirection:Verticalvs.Horizontal
Vertical:

literature,newspaperarticles,

Horizontal: academicpapers,textbooks,
WhichwayarethesetextswritteninJapanese?

JapaneseScript:threetypesofletters

Yamadasanwa oishii
doriano
tabemashita
YamadaMr/MsPdelicious durianPeatPOLITEPAST (P=particle)

Hiragana
particles,inflectedpartofverbs/adjectives,etc.
Katakana
foreignnames,loanwords,etc.
Kanji(:Chinesecharacters)
nouns,verbs,adjectives,etc.
2136lettersareselectedfordailyuse
(Dontworry! Weonlylearn84oftheminJapanese1.)
(Romaji:Romanletters)
ForforeignerswhocantreadJapaneseletters
e.g. Osakaorsaka

WhythreedifferenttypesoflettersinJapanese?
WhichonedoyouthinkistheeasiesttoreadfornativeJapanese
speakers?
1)

(Allthreemixed)

2)

(hiraganaonly)

3)

(katakanaonly)

4)Yamadasanwaoishiidorianotabemashita. (romaji only)

4)Yamadasanwa oishii doriano tabemashita.(romaji withspace)
InJapanesesentences,nospacesareinsertedbetweenwords.
Sothedifferenttypesoflettershelpyouvisuallyfindmeaningful
boundariesinsentences.

HiraganaChart
Mosthiraganalettersconsistofoneconsonantandonevowel.
More consonants [b,d,g,p,z,]

[chi] [shi]

5 vowels

[tsu]

[o]

Eachhiraganaletterrepresentsonesoundunit,whichiscalledmora.
(1hiragana=1mora)

Howtopracticehiragana?

DothehiraganapracticeinStudentsPacket.

Visitusefulwebsitesforlearninghiragana.
Learnhowtoreadandwritehiragana(&katakana)playinggames
http://www.easyjapanese.org/index.html
OriginofHiraganaandkatakana
http://www.omniglot.com/writing/japanese.htm
Pronunciation,etc.
http://raicho.ier.utoyama.ac.jp/pronunciation/contents.html

Formoreinfo,seetheweblinksontheIVLEtoppageofJapanese1.

YoucanalsobuyacopyofTheABCsofJapanese (hiragana/katakana
workbook),whichisavailablefromthesametextbookvendor.

Forfun.
Henohenomoheji
Aiueohayo!(Song)
http://tvpot.daum.net/clip/ClipView.do?clipid=24005842

FunnyJapanese

Surprisingly,youcanseeJapaneselettersprintedonmanynon
JapaneseproductssoldinSingapore.

Butunfortunately,thereareoftenspellingerrors.

?
?
If you find any such funny examples, please post them on the
IVLE forum with a photo and share them with you classmates.

These photos were taken in Singapore. What do you think of the use of Japanese
words in advertisement? Why Japanese? Are they recognized as Japanese words?

This one is from

Thailand.