ASN001 3 Asian Languages: Comparative Introduction

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Jiří Matela, M.A., Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. et Mgr. Ondřej Pazdírek (lecturer)
Mgr. Michal Schwarz, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. Wei-lun Lu, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Jiří Matela, M.A., Ph.D.
Department of Japanese Studies – Asia Studies Centre – Faculty of Arts
Supplier department: Department of Japanese Studies – Asia Studies Centre – Faculty of Arts (30,00 %), Department of Chinese Studies – Asia Studies Centre – Faculty of Arts (30,00 %), Department of Mongolian, Korean and Vietnamese Studies – Asia Studies Centre – Faculty of Arts (40,00 %)
Prerequisites
Working knowledge of English (ability to interpret both written and spoken text in English)
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is offered to students of any study field.
The capacity limit for the course is 70 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/70, only registered: 0/70, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/70
Course objectives
Caution: This is not a language course !!!

Goal of this course is to introduce students of the Faculty of Arts to three languages of Asia, namely Chinese, Korean, and Japanese, from a comparative and/or contrastive perspective. Although mutually unintelligible, the languages are a part of a broader cultural sphere with mutual influences, while keeping their respective special characteristics. Basic understanding of these characteristics is seen as useful for studying any of the three languages in practice, as well as for understanding some general kinds of linguistic variations with respect to cultural, social, and historical conditions.
Learning outcomes
After finishing the course students will be able to:
- characterize Chinese, Korean, and Japanese language typologically;
- characterize Chinese, Korean, and Japanese language genetically;
- describe specific features in the sound systems of Chinese, Korean and Japanese language;
- describe common and specific features in the writing systems of Chinese, Korean and Japanese language;
- tell apart Chinese, Korean, and Japanese with regards to their grammar;
- explain the relationship between Chinese and Korean and Japanese;
- identify and explain distinctive cultural elements in each of the languages;
Syllabus
  • 1. Introductory lesson, content, and structure of the course
  • 2. Introduction to a comparative study of Asian languages
  • Block "Chinese"
  • 3. General characterization of the Chinese language
  • 4. Structural characterization of the Chinese language
  • 5. Chinese language within the cultures of its use
  • Block "Japanese"
  • 6. General characterization of the Japanese language
  • 7. Structural characterization of the Japanese language
  • 8. Japanese language within the culture of its use
  • Block "Korean"
  • 9. General characterization of the Korean language
  • 10. Structural characterization of the Korean language
  • 11. Korean language within the culture of its use
  • 12. Final exam
Literature
    recommended literature
  • ROSS, Claudia and Jing-heng Sheng MA. Modern Mandarin Chinese grammar : a practical guide. 1st pub. London: Routledge, 2006, xxvi, 397. ISBN 0203799933. info
  • Encyclopedia of chinese language and linguistics. Edited by Rint Sybesma - Wolfgang Behr - Yueguo Gu - Zev J. Handel - Cheng-Teh J. Leiden: Brill, 2017, xii, 707. ISBN 9789004262270. info
  • SOHN, Ho-min. The Korean language. [Seoul]: Korea University Press, 2013, xx, 445. ISBN 9788976418289. info
  • YI, Ki-Moon and S. Robert RAMSEY. A history of the Korean language. 1st pub. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2011, viii, 336. ISBN 9780521661898. info
  • PUCEK, Vladimír. Gramatika korejského jazyka. Vyd. 1. Praha: Karolinum, 2005, 453 s. ISBN 8024610043. info
  • PUCEK, Vladimír and Vladimír GLOMB. Klasická korejština. Vyd. 1. Praha: Filozofická fakulta Univerzity Karlovy, 2013, 361 s. ISBN 9788073084615. info
  • SHIN, Jiyoung, Jieun KIAER and Jaeeun CHA. The sounds of Korean. First published. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2013, xx, 243. ISBN 9781107672680. info
  • HASEGAWA, Yoko. Japanese : a linguistic introduction. First published. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2015, xxii, 392. ISBN 9781107611474. info
  • SHIBATANI, Masayoshi. The languages of Japan. 1st pub. Cambridge: Cambridge University, 1990, xv, 411. ISBN 0521369185. info
Teaching methods
Lectures, audio-visual presentations, individual work with secondary texts (all the basic study materials are provided via IS).
Assessment methods
Written test (on-line via IS) in a computer room of MUNI
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught: every week.
Teacher's information
Lectures nr. 1, 2 and 6–11 are conducted in Czech, lectures nr. 3–5 are conducted in English. Final exam (test) is partially in Czech, partially in English.
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