Deutsche Modalpartikeln im Kontrast zum Japanischen : im Rahmen eines Wortartensystemvergleichs

The goal of this thesis is to establish an explanatory system of German modal particles for use in the
teaching of German as a foreign language to Japanese students. This system provides more detailed
and explicit information than dictionary entries offer, it can be related to the concrete situation and
enables to identify native equivalents which can be used as an explanation in lessons. The modal
particles mal, doch, vielleicht, and denn , in contrast with their corresponding Japanese equivalents,
are treated extensively. Sentence-final „particles“, which characterize the mood of a sentence, play a
central role.

The frame of research is the comparison of German-Japanese word-class systems. Practical teaching
experience at a Japanese university serves as the background for the research, and the empirical
research data are based upon a questionnaire given to Japanese with good German competence. The
results of the correlation and comparison are taken from a list of informant examples of different
expressions in German and Japanese used in an identical situation, namely, a polite request to open a
window.