In this thesis, I looked at how language can affect one's personality. The study focussed on bilingual speakers of Japanese, English and Dutch. Participants took the MBTI personality test in their...Show moreIn this thesis, I looked at how language can affect one's personality. The study focussed on bilingual speakers of Japanese, English and Dutch. Participants took the MBTI personality test in their first and second language. Results were compared to look for changes in their personality. No significant differences were found between taking the test in their first and second language. Results showed some Jungian functions were more dominant in second language than in first language.Show less
This thesis further explores the concept of prosodic minimums, as laid out by Itou et al., by accounting for anime title abbreviations within the established theory. Research performed led to the...Show moreThis thesis further explores the concept of prosodic minimums, as laid out by Itou et al., by accounting for anime title abbreviations within the established theory. Research performed led to the preliminary conclusion that the majority of anime title abbreviations adhered to the established prosodic minimums, although in a small set of instances they did not. To account for this, an interdisciplinary approach was taken by involving theories surrounding brand linguistics and sound-associative vocabulary (such as onomatopoeia), which led to speculative findings aptly suited for future research.Show less
In this study, conceptual transfer among the conceptualization of liquid containers of Dutch/Japanese bilingual users when using their first language (L1) has been examined. A naming task was...Show moreIn this study, conceptual transfer among the conceptualization of liquid containers of Dutch/Japanese bilingual users when using their first language (L1) has been examined. A naming task was performed with adult Dutch monolingual users, Japanese monolingual users and Dutch/Japanese bilingual users. No statistical evidence could be found of bilingual users to significantly differ from their monolingual counterparts during a naming task in their L1. Therefore, according to this study, it seems unlikely that bilingual participants undergo strong effects of backwards transfer. Nevertheless, there were indications of small-scale effects of conceptual transfer which could provide an interesting starting point for future research on conceptual transfer among Dutch/Japanese bilinguals.Show less
In this paper, it is argued that the sarcastic use of Japanese honorifics can be seen as further support for a view held within the discursive approach to linguistic politeness. The discursive...Show moreIn this paper, it is argued that the sarcastic use of Japanese honorifics can be seen as further support for a view held within the discursive approach to linguistic politeness. The discursive approach, in reaction to and competing with both a Brown & Levinsonian and a cultural relativist approach to politeness, is argued to best account for the creative use of polite forms by individuals. In contrast to the other two, this approach allows for a constructivist view that empowers the individual language user with the agency to create her own social reality through deliberate language choices. It is further argued that a helpful notion regarding honorifics use – their default reading – is essential for allowing instances of honorific use to be evaluated as sarcastic, as opposed to ‘polite.’Show less
Is the Hypothesis of Granularity and Transparency sufficient in explaining dyslexia as a worldwide phenomenon? This thesis challenges the hypothesis that has dominated the field of dyslexia...Show moreIs the Hypothesis of Granularity and Transparency sufficient in explaining dyslexia as a worldwide phenomenon? This thesis challenges the hypothesis that has dominated the field of dyslexia research for two decades. Based on an extensive literature review and evidence from other fields, the author attempts to create an overview of this multidisciplinary inquiry. By questioning the presented evidence of this hypothesis, the author argues against the hypothesis and offers perspectives for future research. One perspective the author suggests would be research on multiple orthographies in Japanese and their switch cost, as research on this topic provides insight on how orthography is processed. This clarifies the relationship of orthography and the dyslexia more accurately than the current hypothesis.Show less
This thesis contains the research for a teaching method of teaching Japanese pitch-accent to Dutch students which language is stress based, between the age of 12-18 years. It compares 3 existing...Show moreThis thesis contains the research for a teaching method of teaching Japanese pitch-accent to Dutch students which language is stress based, between the age of 12-18 years. It compares 3 existing methods for a different motherlanguage but with the same target language of Japanese, to criteria that have been constructed by using literature research and the pedagogical framework of Pawlak (2011). The existing teaching method of Hirano Cook (2011) was best suited for teaching the pitch-accent to the target age group and was used in order to make a theoretical good teaching method for the Dutch students. The main adjustments to the teaching method of Hirano Cook, consists of using phonological features of the stress-accent and creating a positive transfer to the Japanese pitch-accent.Show less
In this thesis we take a closer look at Role Language. We compare the speech style of Hero characters in Japanese Manga to those of Villains characters in order to identify the characteristics of...Show moreIn this thesis we take a closer look at Role Language. We compare the speech style of Hero characters in Japanese Manga to those of Villains characters in order to identify the characteristics of those Villain characters. These characteristics eventually form what we will call Villain Speech 悪役語 'akuyakugo'.Show less
This research looks at Dutch and Japanese newspapers describing Donald Trump’s victory and possible consequences, focusing on the use of evaluative language. The parameter approach of Bednarek ...Show moreThis research looks at Dutch and Japanese newspapers describing Donald Trump’s victory and possible consequences, focusing on the use of evaluative language. The parameter approach of Bednarek (2006) and Bednarek and Caple (2012) was used to look at the evaluative language. Differences and similarities were found while comparing the news articles. This result could be due to several aspects, however more research is necessary to explain this.Show less
In this study, a comparison is made between dyslexia as experienced by both L1 and L2 speakers. In addition, L1 dyslexia in English, German, Hebrew and Hindi is compared with L1 dyslexia in Japanese.
This paper examines patterns in Dutch and Japanese regarding how motion is expressed. The basis for this research was performed by Talmy (1985). He argued in his article that languages could be...Show moreThis paper examines patterns in Dutch and Japanese regarding how motion is expressed. The basis for this research was performed by Talmy (1985). He argued in his article that languages could be divided based upon where manner and path are expressed in the sentence. According to Talmy the verb-framed languages use their verbs primarily to express their verbs to express path, while satellite-framed languages use satellites to indicate path and use their verbs to show how an action is performed. Due to this article receiving a fair amount of criticism, I have looked into this two-sided way of dividing. By comparing literature I have established a field of what sentence constructions and patterns I am looking for. For gathering data I have chosen to use novels. The clauses I found that fit with the view provided by the literature were my data pool. By analyzing the data there shows a tendency that Dutch behaves according to the theory of Talmy. Japanese however does not conform to this view. Rather, Japanese uses a wider variety of grammatical constructions to express path and manner.Show less
In Japanese, the phrase A yō na can be used to modify nouns. One of the ways that an A yō na B construction can be used, is to lend a sense of indirectness to an expression. In this thesis, I will...Show moreIn Japanese, the phrase A yō na can be used to modify nouns. One of the ways that an A yō na B construction can be used, is to lend a sense of indirectness to an expression. In this thesis, I will investigate whether this sense of indirectness can be traced back in English translation, and what this can say about the features of the two languages. First, in order to grasp the diversity of usages of the A yō na B construction, I will provide an analysis of the several meanings, making use of a classification using the framework introduced in Takahashi (2009). Then, I will analyse within these categories how the construction can be translated. In order to do this, I will use a parallel corpus created from examples taken from a Japanese novel and its English translation. Finally, I will discuss my findings in the view of indirectness within language.Show less
In this thesis two forces contributing to a changing language ideology in Japan, adopting the Okinawan case as an example, are examined. The first factor is a political one, namely the influence of...Show moreIn this thesis two forces contributing to a changing language ideology in Japan, adopting the Okinawan case as an example, are examined. The first factor is a political one, namely the influence of international human rights treaties, that also guarantee linguistic rights, and its enforcement bodies on the Japanese government. The second one is a social factor: the (re)emergence of pride in Okinawan identityShow less
