Common Japanese Collocations: A Learner's Guide to Frequent Word Pairings - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 4770031238 ISBN 13: 9784770031235

Publisher: Kodansha USA, 2010

Synopsis

Collocations are word combinations that occur in natural speech more frequently than can be explained by chance. In English, we say, "take a bath" (or "have a bath" in British English), but in Japanese the equivalent is "get in a bath," o-furo ni hairu. The verb hairu is the one that collocates with o-furo.

It has long been recognized that the study of collocations can lead to more natural language production, and yet until now there has been no book on the subject for learners of Japanese. Common Japanese Collocations will be the first resource to introduce the most frequently used noun-and-verb and noun-and-adjective combinations.

The book is divided into six thematic chapters centering on daily life. Each chapter presents more than a hundred key entries, which consist of a noun and a selection of words that go with that noun. Some collocations come with example sentences that demonstrate how the word pair can be used in a sentence. In addition, throughout the book there are notes on common usage errors.

About this title

About the Author

KAKUKO SHOJI has been an instructor of Japanese at the University of Hawaii since 1968, and is the author of Basic Connections and Japanese Core Words and Phrases (both published by Kodansha International). Shoji was also the supervising editor of Kodansha's Effective Japanese Usage Guide.

From the Inside Flap

If you are a beginning student of Japanese, chances are you often struggle to find the right combination of words to make yourself understood. If you are an intermediate student, perhaps you get by in day-to-day communication, but your spoken Japanese doesn't sound as natural as you would like it to. Whatever the case, Common Japanese Collocations will serve you well.

Within the pages of this book are more than 3,200 collocations, or word combinations, used in everyday speech. By using these at appropriate moments, your spoken Japanese will sound more natural--and more sophisticated, meaning that you will make a better impression on those around you. Further, by studying the expressions in this book, you will enrich your vocabulary and gain a deeper understanding of Japanese thought and culture.

The book is divided into six chapters--Home, Daily Life, People, School & Work, Travel, and Entertainment--within which collocations are arranged by theme rather than alphabetically, making them easier to study. More than a third of the entries come with an example sentence to show how the combination in question is used in real life. For each kanji character or compound, furigana has been provided, making the book readable to students at all levels.

In a word, Common Japanese Collocations is the ultimate resource for students wishing to refine their spoken Japanese.

Edition details

• Publisher: Kodansha USA
• Publication date: 2010
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 4770031238
• ISBN 13: 9784770031235
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 256
• Editor: Shoji Kakuko