An Introduction to Modern Japanese: Book Two

by Richard Bowring

This is the second book in an extensive one-year introductory course in Japanese, also suitable for those who wish to work at a slower pace. Students who finish this course will have a firm grasp of how the language works and enough knowledge of the writing system to tackle everyday written material with no more than a dictionary. Particular attention is paid to questions of grammar which foreign learners often find difficult, so Book One can also serve as a reference grammar. An Introduction to Modern Japanese uses both spoken and written forms from the outset. There are word lists for each lesson, and a comprehensive vocabulary for the whole course. Book Two comprises the exercises and word lists which accompany the fifty-two lessons in Book One. The exercises ensure that the student has understood the grammar explained in the relevant lessons and give further practice in reading and recognising characters. Book Ttwo also contains a full vocabulary, Japanese to English and English to Japanese.

388 pages, Paperback

First published October 8, 1992

About the author

Richard John Bowring is an English academic and leading scholar in Japanese studies. He has served as Professor of Japanese Studies at the University of Cambridge since 1985 and is an Honorary Fellow of Downing College. From 2000 to 2012, he was Master of Selwyn College, overseeing significant expansion, including the construction of Ann’s Court. Bowring studied Oriental Studies at Downing College, earning his BA in 1968 and completing his PhD in 1973. He has also held teaching positions at Princeton and Columbia. His publications span East Asian culture, politics, and history, with notable monographs and articles in major journals. In recognition of his contributions to Japanese studies and UK-Japan relations, he was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon, in 2013.