AINU LANGUAGE AND CULTURE MOD.1

The course falls among the core courses for the China/Japan/Korea curricula of the Bachelor’s Degree program “Languages, Cultures and Societies of Asia and Mediterranean Africa”.
The course aims to provide students with a basic knowledge of Classical Ainu (i.e., the language used by native L1 speakers up until the 1980s), focusing on its Southern Hokkaido and Sakhalin varieties. The introduction to the fundamentals of Ainu grammar is carried out through the critical analysis of short sentences, with reference to the most recent linguistic studies on the topics addressed. This approach is intended to equip students with the analytical tools necessary to independently and critically engage with original audio and written sources, including extended texts. At the same time, the course includes cultural insights essential for contextualizing the language in practice, an overview of the documentation of the language over the centuries, and an introduction to the main topics in historical linguistics and sociolinguistics. These topics concern both Classical Ainu and Contemporary Ainu (spoken today by L2 communities and new speakers in Japan) and are the focus of current Ainu studies.
Module 1 will focus on the learning of the fundamentals of Ainu grammar and on the introduction of selected topics in Ainu historical linguistics and sociolinguistics.

Students will acquire knowledge of the fundamental elements of the Ainu language (genealogy, phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics) necessary to tackle the content of Module 2. Students will develop specific skills in comparative linguistics in order to actively understand the rules and structures of the language they study. Students will also become familiar with a number of topics of historical linguistics (in the context of reconstruction based on philological attestations and the comparative method) and sociolinguistics (revitalization, teaching Ainu as a second language, bilingualism, language policies).

Good knowledge of the English language and perfect knowledge of the grammar of the student's native language.
It is warmly suggested to whomever enrolled before the academic year 25/26 to attend the course "General Linguistics (Japan and Korea)".

Overview of the Ainu Language (Ethnicity, Location, Affiliation)
Phonetics and phonology
Nominal and verbal morphosyntax
Semantics
Pragmatics
Introduction to Ainu sociolinguistics – efforts and methods of language revitalization, cultural re-appropriation, representation in contemporary Japan (topics may vary depending on students’ specific interests)
Introduction to historical linguistics

Mandatory readings:
1) “Materials and methods of analysis for the study of the Ainu language” - The book is available to download from the Edizioni Ca' Foscari website.
2) Campbell, Lyle (2018) "Language isolates and their history" in Lyle Campbell (ed.) "Language Isolates", London/New York: Routledge, pp. 1-18. (provided by the teacher).
3) Slide on moodle platform.

Optional readings:
1) Anna Bugaeva (ed.) "Handbook of the Ainu language", Berlino: De Gruyter Mouton.
All titles in the bibliography section of the above-mentioned volume are to be considered optional readings as well.

Both modules for the Ainu Language course will be held in the first semester with two lessons per week. The contents of module 1, which are required for module 2, will be taught first during the lessons in the first period (September-November). The contents of module 2 will be taught in the second period (November-January).

Assessment of the skills acquired in module 1 will happen with a written and oral exam.
During the first period, the teacher will assign, as homework, a number of short reports (200-400 words) on the Ainu grammar topics discussed during the lesson, after these topics have been properly explained in class. Writing these reports is mandatory and it will constitute the written part of the final exam of the first module.
This written test will be followed by an oral interview (around 20 minutes) on the day of the exam.

Only students who successfully pass the exam for module 1 will be able to take the exam for the second module. At the end of the exam for the first module, the teacher will communicate a grade that will not be recorded. Rather, this grade will give a total average grade together with the grade obtained after passing the module 2 exam.
The eligibility obtained when passing the exam of module 1 will be valid until the fall exam session (August-September) of the academic year in which the module 1 exam was taken.

written and oral

The lecturer has a duty to ensure that the rules regarding the authenticity and originality of exam tests and papers are respected. Therefore, if there is suspicion of irregular conduct, an additional assessment may be conducted, which could differ from the original exam description.

Range 18-22: sufficient knowledge and comprehension with regard to the course program
Range 23-26: good knowledge and comprehension with regard to the course program
Range 27-30: very good or excellent knowledge and comprehension with regard to the course program
Honors will be assigned in case of very good or excellent knowledge and comprehension with regard to the course program, and excellent communication skills.

Taught class. Students' active participation is expected.