So far in the course, I have enjoyed the broad scope of linguistic elements we have studied. My focus is Korean, so I know far more about the grammatical structure of that language. Therefore learning about things like aspect markers in Chinese and humble vs. honoring form in Japanese has been the most interesting and new information. I highly appreciated the guest lectures and was happy that we were able to receive lessons about cultural aspects as well as linguistic function. My favorite guest lecture was about Chinese medicine, since the study of Chi and solving illness before it develops is far different than the usual Western practice.

The most interesting topic so far was girl graphs, as it gave insight to how certain minority groups in a population develop language that is only targeted to members of the same in-group. It’s also fascinating that the cutesy writing is derived by using the base characters of Japanese, and that is can be deciphered by speakers but it generally not used since it is difficult to read.

The course has challenged the way I think of linguistics by comparing and contrasting three different languages that may have similar words or grammar points. This has allowed for a deeper discussion into the development of language as a separate identity even in close proximity. I really enjoyed what I’ve learned so far and hope to use this knowledge towards more linguistic study in the future!