Foreword

Abstract

The study of language offers profound insights into human cognition and the origins of communication. Spatial demonstratives, like “this” or “that,” rank among the earliest documented words across languages and emerge early in children’s vocabularies.‍[1] They exhibit complex, multimodal dynamics, intricately tied to eye gaze and gestures, highlighting the interplay between verbal and non-verbal communication. These ancient terms frequently underpin a variety of figurative meanings, serving as foundational elements in language evolution.

We are pleased to announce the release of the summer 2024 issue of Acta Linguistica Asiatica. This issue features six scientific articles and one book review, offering diverse perspectives on linguistic “this and that” concerning the Japanese, Chinese, and Korean languages. We extend our sincere gratitude to all contributors and reviewers whose scholarly dedication enriches our journal.

The issue opens with the article “Integration and Autonomy in Japanese Converb Constructions: A Corpus Study” by Natalia SOLOMKINA, who examined morphological and syntactic connectedness in converb constructions using tests and corpus data. Results show morphological independence for most cases but syntax reveals a continuum of autonomy and unity, complicating categorization and highlighting the ongoing grammaticalization process.

The article “The Use of Japanese Words Hito, Hitobito, and Hitotachi in L1 and L2 Written Compositions” by Divna TRIČKOVIĆ addresses the pluralization of nouns and differentiation of synonyms in teaching Japanese as a foreign language by analyzing three Japanese words for “people”. Using compositions from intermediate students and native speakers, the study reveals challenges in distinguishing singularity and plurality. It highlights the need for greater focus on teaching the plural forms 人々 hitobito and 人達 hitotachi.

Following is the work by Dragana ŠPICA “The Effect of Lexical Accent on Perceived Japanese Vowel Length: Evidence from Croatian” in which the author examined how Japanese lexical accent influences Croatian listeners’ perception of Japanese vowel length. A test with varied pitch patterns and vowel positions showed that pitch patterns of words, the position of a long vowel, and participants’ Japanese knowledge all affect error rates.

Yet another work that offers an insight into the Japanese language is entitled “Refusals in Japanese and Spanish: Pragmatic Transfer in L2”. In it, the author Ignacio PEDROSA GARCÍA compares refusal strategies of advanced Japanese learners of Spanish to those of native Spanish and Japanese speakers, focusing on pragmatic transfer in refusals to requests, invitations, offers, and suggestions. The analysis revealed that higher linguistic ability in Japanese learners correlated with increased pragmatic transfer, highlighting the interplay between cultural priming and response freedom.

Next is the work on the Chinese language “The Nature and Structure of Reflexive Verb Constructions” by YANG Yongzhong. The author elucidates the internal structure, detailing the mechanisms by which they are constituted, with particular emphasis on the significant function of the reflexive pronoun. The whole reflexive verb construction can function either as the object in the specifier position of VP or move to the position of the light verb to function as the predicate.

MOON Chang-Hak in his article “Direct Evidentials in Korean: From the Perspective of the Multi-Store Memory Model” clarifies Korean direct evidential markers using a multi-store memory model. Markers indicate “present perception-based knowledge” or “past acquisition-based knowledge” and align with memory processes like maintenance rehearsal, elaborative rehearsal, and long-term storage.

Last but not least is the book review of the long-awaited linguistic monography on Korean language and linguistics in Slovene Uvod v korejski jezik in korejsko jezikoslovje. The review was written by Albina NEĆAK LÜK who describes the monography as a work that, by incorporating recent linguistic research to interpret Korean linguistic phenomena, goes far beyond traditional grammar and, by delving into general and sociolinguistic phenomena, aids readers in understanding Korean linguistic phenomena and similar issues in other languages.

Editors and Editorial Board invite the regular and new readers to engage with the content, to question, challenge, and reflect. We hope you have a pleasant read full of inspiration and a rise of new research ideas inspired by these papers.

                                                                      Editors

[1] https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-023-01697-4