Advanced Reading Comprehension and Translation Contemporary Short Stories Professor Ted Mack Autumn 2011: JAPAN 431 Mondays and Wednesdays 3:30-5:20pm SAV 157

We will read stories by Matsuda Aoko, Akazome Akiko, Yoshimoto Banana, and Okada Toshiki. All of their stories appear in Bungaku 2012 (Tokyo: Kodansha, 2012), a collection of some of the best stories of 2011 (despite the title.) The book can be ordered through the Seattle Kinokuniya bookstore. It is also available through Amazon Japan.

The prerequisite for this course is a 2.5 or higher in JAPAN 313 (or its equivalent.)

You will need a good dictionary. There are some excellent online options, including Weblio, goo, and Yahoo! Japan's dictionary. You would also find a grammar reference, such as this one, very handy. If you prefer paper dictionaries, look for a good collegiate Japanese-English dictionary and a medium-sized Japanese-Japanese dictionary. If you do not have Internet access, consider investing in an electronic dictionary. If you have an iPhone or an iPod Touch, look at this comparison of the various dictionary apps that are available. Many students have found the Daijirin to be the best deal. Finally, Google and Wikipedia can be very useful as well.

On occasion, elaboratons and clarifications of classroom discussions will be posted to my course blog, Reading Japanese.

Reading Schedule:

Students' reading speeds differ so dramatically that it is difficult to provide a detailed schedule in advance. Please come to the first day of class to find out how much to prepare for subsequent meetings.

Please note that there will be no class on Monday, October 22 (AL&L is hosting a lecture on Japanese literature that conflicts), and Monday, November 12 (Veterans Day). Quizzes will be moved to Wednesday, October 24, and Wednesday, November 14, respectively.

About the Course:

This course focuses solely on developing advanced Japanese reading skills through practice. Students read through contemporary Japanese fiction on their own and then meet to go over that reading, focusing on grammar and vocabulary but also discussing literary devices and effects. Unlike most other language offerings, this course is made up of readings that have not been tailored or selected for ease of comprehension. Students read celebrated stories of recent years, regardless of difficulty, in their complete form. The goal of the course is to introduce students to the real complexity and beauty of written Japanese, while providing them with the tools necessary to read even the most challenging fiction. The hope is that the course will begin students on a lifelong path of reading Japanese literature – whether professionally or recreationally.

A grade of 2.5 or higher in JAPAN 313 or its equivalent is an absolute requirement. A high level of Japanese reading ability is required; expect the gulf between third-year Japanese readings and these stories to be substantial.

The syllabus below will be in flux throughout the semester as we move through the stories. Watch the online syllabus and talk with your classmates about where we are for any given class meeting.

Required Materials:

• The four stories are available to class members as a PDF file. We will not be able to complete all four stories during the quarter, and we will not read the stories in the order they appear in the PDF. The reading sequence will be discussed on the first day of class.
• Downloading of the text will imply acceptance of applicable copyright laws.
• In order to read PDF documents, you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is free and can be downloaded here.

Grading:

• Participation and preparation — 50%.
• Short quizzes — 30%.
• Final comprehensive exam — 20%.

Participation and preparation (50%):

All class members will be expected to complete assigned readings before class meets. Class meetings will involve recitation in Japanese, translation, and discussion of grammar in either English or Japanese. Every student will be called on at every class meeting; likely each will be called multiple times. Inadequate preparation will result in a reduction of one's participation grade. Late arrivals disrupt class; therefore you are expected to arrive on time. Please turn off all cell phones before class begins.

Weekly short quizzes (30%; every Monday, unless otherwise noted):

Quizzes will be made up of translation questions involving sentences chosen from the previous week's reading.

Final comprehensive exam (20%):

The final exam will be made up of translation questions involving sentences chosen from among all the readings.

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Page last updated on September 28, 2015