Introduction

The Department of Language Change and Variation is working on collaborative research such as a nationwide dialect survey, research on endangered dialects, including the Ryukyu dialects, clarification of the dynamics of contemporary Japanese, and the formation process of Japanese variation, aiming to clarify geographic and social variation in the present and the past, as well as aspects of historical transformation.

Message from the Director

A language always encompasses variation, in any period and any region. This is because the language is used by various people, in various situations, for various purposes. The richness of language variation reflects the spiritual richness of the people who use the language, and we keep this in mind as we conduct our research on language variation.

Research and Education Staff

• KIBE Nobuko
  Director

• AIZAWA Masao
• ONISHI Takuichiro

• ASAHI Yoshiyuki
• INOUE Fumiko
• KUMAGAI Yasuo

• NIINO Naoya

• NOYAMA Hiroshi
  (additional post)

Invited Scholars

• KARIMATA Shigehisa
• SANADA Shinji
• TAKUBO Yukinori
• MATSUMORI Akiko

• AOKI Hirohumi

Temporary Researcher

• OGAWA Shinji
  Postdoctoral Research Fellow
• SHENG Si Chao
  Assistant Researcher
• YOSHIDA Noriko
  Assistant Researcher
• KIM Eran
  Associate Researcher
• TAKEDA Koko
  Associate Researcher