Course Outlines:
Please note that the following course outlines are provided for information purposes only and are subject to change without notice. Also please be aware that students who register in a particular section of a class (for example, F01) MUST attend the same lab section as the lecture section.
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Language and Language-related:
Japanese language instruction for beginning language students. Development of basic language skills, including listening comprehension, speaking, reading and writing, through lectures, class discussions, tutorials for conversation practice, laboratory sessions, and other activities.
This is a course for students who have studies Japanese, but do not have enough knowledge to register for PAAS 131. Students with a BC provincial exam mark between 60%-80% may(should) register in this course. The course will cover the same material as PAAS 130, but at a faster pace. Students who register in this course must be able to read and write Hiragana.
A BC provincial exam mark of between 60%-80% or permission of the instruictor.
Continuation of 130 for those students who intend to practise their listening comprehension, speaking and reading abilities, and writing skills on a more advanced level.
A continuation of 131, aimed at a balanced development of listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Classes offer practice in listening comprehension, conversation, reading, translation, and composition.
A general introduction to the synchronic and diachronic descriptions of Japanese; subjects covered may include: phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, historical changes, poetics, dialectology, orthography, the sociolinguistic and psycholinguistic aspects of Japanese, the relationship between Japanese language, thought, and culture, and the history of Japanese linguistics. Previous knowledge of Japanese not necessary.
A continuation of 230, offering further balanced development of language skills. Classes will be conducted in Japanese.
Readings in modern Japanese, designed to broaden students' acquaintance with the Japanese writing system, expand their working vocabulary, and provide a firmer grounding to their general knowledge of the language. Course content may vary from year to year.
A continuation of 331 for students who wish to expand their working vocabulary and develop their skills in reading modern Japanese. Course content may vary from year to year.
An advanced course designed to develop knowledge of practical Japanese through listening and speaking practise.
An advanced course designed to develop knowledge of written Japanese through practical writing practice.
A seminar intended for advanced students prepared to read literary texts in modern Japanese. Course content will include contemporary fiction, drama and/or poetry, and may vary from year to year.
This course is designed for advanced students prepared to read extensively in Japanese. Readings will be assigned by the instructor in consultation with the participating students.
Culture
A survey of Japan's cultural past from earliest times to the mid-nineteenth century. The major trends in Japanese history will be outlined, with emphasis on the outstanding cultural developments of each epoch, especially in the areas of literature, drama, philosophy and religion, and the visual arts. Relevant social backgrounds will also be considered. No knowledge of Japanese language is required.
A survey of Japan's cultural past from earliest times to the mid-nineteenth century. The major trends in Japanese history will be outlined, with emphasis on the outstanding cultural developments of each epoch, especially in the areas of literature, drama, philosophy and religion, and the visual arts. Relevant social backgrounds will also be considered. No knowledge of Japanese language is required.
A survey, through materials in English translation, of Japanese literature from the aristocratic period to the early days of military rule. Emphasis will be on poetry, literary diaries, and narrative fiction, with considerable attention to The Tale of Genji.
A survey, through selected English translations, of Japanese literature from the Meiji (1868-1912) and Taisho (1912-1926) eras. The course will focus on readings of works by Natsume Soseki, Mori Ogai, and other novelists, poets and playwrights.
A survey of Japanese theatre history from earliest times until the present day. Introduction to the major forms, styles and theory of Japanese theatre, both premodern and modern. Readings of plays in translation will be supplemented by screenings of films and videos of stage performances.
This course will examine the philosophies underlying the films of representative directors such as Kurosawa Akira, Mizoguchi Kenji, and Ozu Yasujiro from the pre-war years up to 1960, covering themes which include gender relations, class/ideology, and the place of the individual in society. Classes will be divided between viewing, analysis, and discussion.
This course will examine issues in Japanese cinema from the 1960s to the present day, focusing on such topics as experimentation, social radicalism, the modernist/postmodernist transition, and gender relations. Directors to be considered include Teshigahara, Oshima, Itami, Miyazaki, and others.
This seminar will examine selected topics related to Japanese language, literature, or cultural studies. Topic and instructor will vary from year to year.
A seminar on love and sex in Japan, from earliest times to the present day. Class readings, including fiction, drama, and poetry, will be supplemented with student presentations on a variety of topics and texts
An examination of the Japanese language in its social context. A wide range of sociolinguistic topics will be covered, including non-verbal communication and types of Japanese spoken outside of Japan. Attention will be given to linguistic, dialectal, and stylistic variation in speech communities, and to sociolinguistic considerations such as class, gender, and social setting.
Offered either as a reading course, a tutorial or a seminar in Japanese language, literature or culture, for advanced students. Consult appropriate members of the Department about topics and requirements.
This course will normally involve readings and a research project in a particular area of Japanese Studies in which the student is qualified. The individual program of studies will be supervised by an appropriate faculty member.
Note: PAAS 430 is also a literature course.
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