Use of mimetics in motion event descriptions by English and Korean learners of L2 Japanese: Does typology make a difference?

Iwasaki, Noriko

Abstract

This chapter addresses the issues by examining how first language (L1) English or Korean speakers of second language (L2) Japanese describe Motion events depicted in animated cartoons, by first selecting Motion events for which many L1 Japanese speakers are found to use mimetics. Research on L2 learners’ Motion event descriptions has drawn much attention due to the “centrality of motion in everyday human life” and the interest in how L2 learners acquire thinking-for-speaking in L2. If the L1-L2 typology indeed matters English speakers learning L2 Japanese may face similar challenges to the L2 Korean learners in Choi and Lantolf’s study in mapping Manner to elements such as adverbs, gerundive phrases or manner verbs when they describe Motion events in L2 Japanese. The chapter aims to investigate the influence of L2 learners’ L1 when using Japanese mimetics in Motion event descriptions.

Citation

Iwasaki, N. (2016). Use of mimetics in motion event descriptions by English and Korean learners of L2 Japanese: Does typology make a difference?. In N. Iwasaki, P. Sells, & K. Akita (Eds.), The grammar of Japanese mimetics: Perspectives from structure, acquisition and translation (193-218). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315646695-10

• Acceptance Date: Mar 22, 2025
• Publication Date: Dec 20, 2016
• Deposit Date: Aug 24, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: Dec 21, 2116
• Publisher: Routledge
• Pages: 193-218
• Series Title: Routledge Studies in East Asian Linguistics
• Book Title: The grammar of Japanese mimetics: Perspectives from structure, acquisition and translation
• ISBN: 9781138181908
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315646695-10
• Publisher URL: https://www.routledge.com/The-Grammar-of-Japanese-Mimetics-Perspectives-from-structure-acquisition/Iwasaki-Sells-Akita/p/book/9781138181908