Description

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This small handbook is designed primarily as a reference tool for students of classical Japanese (bungo) who possess a working knowledge of the modern language. The first of its two main sections discusses suffixes attached to each of the verbal bases recognized by Japanese grammarians; the second treats important particles and miscellaneous parts of speech in alphabetical order. A table lists suffixes and their bases in alphabetical order, with cross references to the first section; three others show modern and classical verb and adjective categories and their bases. There are also short sections on grammatical patterns, respect verbs, sound changes, and traditional kana usage. Now includes a six-page index compiled by John Wallace, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

About the Author

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Helen Craig McCullough (1918-1998) was an eminent scholar of classical Japanese poetry and prose. Her scholarly publications include 11 volumes of studies and translations. She co-authored with husband William H. McCullough the monumental two-volume translation and study of A Tale of Flowering Fortunes, whose authoritative notes and appendices make it an encyclopedia of Heian court life. Her books provide authoritative interpretations of masterpieces in classical Japanese literature. Other titles include Tales of Ise, The Tale of the Heike, Anthology of Poems Ancient and Modern, and The Great Mirror.