Introduction

Research carried out in the Department of Crosslinguistic Studies investigates the nature and characteristics of the Japanese language, comparing it with other languages of the world. Currently, we are conducting four joint research projects, whose titles are as follows: (a) Noun-concluding constructions and grammaticalization of nouns, (b) Modal and speech-act constraints on clause-linkage, (c) Universals and crosslinguistic variations in the semantic structure of predicates, and (d) Compilation of a Handbook of Usage of Japanese Basic Verbs for JFL Learners. During the first half of the 2010 academic year, Professor Andrej Malchukov (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany) is here as a Visiting Professor at the Institute, and is participating in the joint research conducted in the department.

Message from the Director

As is the case in international trade, there are imports and exports in the field of research: imported research and research for export. We in the Department of Crosslinguistic Studies hope to contribute towards the advancement of general linguistics, starting from analysis of Japanese. That is, we hope to 'export our research' on the basis of research into Japanese.

Research and Education Staff

• TSUNODA Tasaku
  Director

• INOUE Masaru
• Prashant PARDESHI

• USAMI Yo
  (additional post)

Temporary Researcher

• IMAMURA Yasunari
  Project Assistant
• YAMAIZUMI Minoru
  Project Assistant