Modern Japanese Grammar ─ A Practical Guide

Modern Japanese Grammar: A Practical Guide is an innovative reference guide to Japanese, combining traditional and function-based grammar in a single volume.

The Grammar is divided into two parts. Part A covers traditional grammatical categories such as nouns, verbs, adjectives, particles, topic, honorifics, etc. Part B is carefully organised around language functions covering all major communication situations such as:

• Initiating and ending a conversation
• Seeking and giving factual information
• Expressing gratitude, likes and dislikes
• Making requests and asking for permission and advice

With a strong emphasis on contemporary usage, all grammar points and functions are richly illustrated throughout with examples written both in Romanization and Japanese script (a mixture of hiragana, katakana, and kanji.)

Main features of the Grammar include:

• Clear, succinct and jargon-free explanations
• Extensive cross-referencing between the different sections
• Emphasis on areas of particular difficulty for learners of Japanese

Both as a reference grammar and a practical usage manual, Modern Japanese Grammar: A Practical Guide is the ideal resource for learners of Japanese at all levels, from beginner to advanced. No prior knowledge of grammatical terminology or Japanese script is required and a glossary of grammatical terms is provided.

This Grammar is accompanied by the Modern Japanese Grammar Workbook (ISBN 978-0-415-27093-9) which features related exercises and activities.

Naomi McGloin is Professor of Japanese Language and Linguistics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA
Mutsuko Endo Hudson is Professor of Japanese Language and Linguistics at Michigan State University, USA
Fumiko Nazikian is Senior Lecturer and Director of the Japanese Language Program at Columbia University, USA
Tomomi Kakegawa is Associate Professor of Japanese at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, USA