Japanese
Overview
Is it possible to be modern and yet non-Western? To be an industrial
democracy yet maintain high educational standards, strong families and
strong communities? To avoid the isolation of the individual that
constitutes the spiritual crisis of the West?
The example of Japan suggests that the answer is yes. Learning Japanese
introduces you to a dynamic nation of 120 million people at the hub of
technological innovation, trade, and diplomatic relations in the world's
fastest-growing market: the Pacific Rim. It introduces you to a modern
country which has maintained a distinct cultural identity; a society which
still emphasizes the individual's responsibilities to family and group;
and to an economy with distinctive solutions to problems of productivity,
management, and motivation in the work place. It introduces you to the
earliest non-Western nation to become a modern world power.
While Japan is one of the biggest trading partners of the U.S., American
access to the Japanese market continues to be limited. A primary reason is
that we lack personnel fluent in Japanese language and knowledgeable about
Japanese culture. St. Olaf teaches three full years of Japanese language
and sends language students to three different campuses in Japan. Courses
in Japanese language and literature count towards a major in Asian Studies
(see Index). The minimum language requirement for a major in Asian Studies
may be met by completing Japanese 232. An optional area
of emphasis in Japanese language requires the completion of four courses
in Japanese language above Level I. Study programs in Japan are available
at Waseda University in Tokyo through the ACM, at Kansai Gaidai in Osaka,
and at Minnesota State University - Akita Campus. (Consult the Index.)
General Education Credit
Japanese courses that fulfill General Education requirements are listed in
the Class and Lab Schedules.
Comprehensive/Distribution Credit
Successful completion of Japanese 231 or a course
numbered higher taught in Japanese, or demonstrated proficiency, satisfies
the college's foreign language graduation requirement for all students.
Japanese 235 fulfills the Area A literature
requirement.
Courses
- 111, 112 Beginning Japanese I, II
- An introduction to speaking, reading, and writing Japanese; writing
includes the learning of all syllabic letters (Hiragana and Katakana) and
basic Kanji (Chinese characters). Four class hours per week include one
drill session. Japanese 111 or equivalent is
prerequisite to 112.
- 231, 232 Intermediate Japanese I, II
- A continuation of Japanese grammar and orthography through dialogues,
discussions, and readings. Classes meet three hours per week, with one
additional hour in the language lab, scheduled individually. Japanese 231 or equivalent is prerequisite to 232.
- 235 Modern Japanese Literature (in English translation)
- This survey of Japanese novels and short stories from the middle of
the 19th century to the present includes works by Soseki, Tanizaki, and
two recent Nobel recipients, Kawabata and Oe. Women writers such as
Ichiyo, Ariyoshi and Enchi are considered. Students will also view four or
five films to supplement their readings. We will focus on the cultural
context of the writings.
- 251, 252 Advanced Japanese I, II
- Speaking, reading, and writing Japanese at the third-year level.
Recommended for students seeking an area of emphasis in Japanese language.
Prerequisite: Japanese 232 or equivalent.
- 298 Independent Study
- 398 Independent Research
Faculty
Pin P. Wan (Chair)
Associate Professor of Chinese, 1987-
B.A., M.A., Fu-Jen Catholic University; M.A., Oregon, 1978; Ph.D., Washington
Chinese language and literature
Phyllis H. Larson
Associate Professor of Japanese, 1993-
B.A., St. Olaf; M.A., Ph.D., Minnesota
Japanese language and literature
Gia Someya
Instructor in Japanese, 1995-
B.A., Keimyang University; M.A., Wisconsin
Japanese language