Welcome to the University of Minnesota Libraries
Do you have your UMN Email (also called Internet ID or x.500)?
Initiating or claiming your account will give you access to thousands of online journals, magazines, newspapers and ebooks at the University of Minnesota Libraries. Your teacher may need to provide information to complete this step. Ask them.
Setting up DUO
You also need to set up Duo Authentication to get access to things like your UMN email and to use many of the research tools on the U Library website. The IT Technology online help can answer questions on this.
Tip: If you are unable to initiate your account you can find scholarly articles with Academic Search Premier, find background information on your topic with Encyclopedia Britannica Academic Edition and find Pro/Con arguments on current issues with Points of View Reference Center.
Finding resources:
- JapanKnowledge LibThe database connects you to multiple resources including Japanese and English language dictionaries for modern and classical terms, historic chronology, general encyclopedias, news, Japanese names and biographies, business quarterly reports, law dictionaries, and multimedia. Searches can be done in English or Japanese with results in either language depending on what resources were searched.
- Complete Database for Japanese Magazine and Periodicals from the Meiji Era to the PresentIndex to periodical articles published in Japanese, including those in former Japanese colonies, and local periodicals not present in many other indexes. Coverage is from Meiji Era to the present. Limited to 55 simultaneous users.
- Linguistics & Language Behavior Abstracts (LLBA)Search journals in linguistics and language sciences from 1973 to the present including phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax and semantics in journal articles, book reviews, books, book chapters, dissertations and working papers.
- MagazinePlusAccess is limited for 3 simultaneous users.The largest searchable database in Japan with over 7 million records. In addition to the zasshi kiji sakuin (Japanese Periodicals Index) since 1975, this database includes a wide range of scholarly, general interest, business, and sports periodicals. The database permits searches by keyword, author, publication title, or publisher. It does not provide full-text access.
Get help from the U Libraries - Online!
- Peer Research ConsultantsMake an online 30 minute appointment for one-on-one peer assistance with your research. Get help with researching your topic, finding sources, citing sources and more. Peer Research Consultants can also help you get started with faculty-sponsored research.
- Chat 24/7 online with the LibrariesAsk us anything! Chat with a librarian, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with any research or library questions.
- Meet with a librarianSchedule an online consultations for personalized research support primarily for University of Minnesota faculty, instructors, graduate and undergraduate students and staff.
Sample of online books
- Learning Japanese for Real byISBN: 9780824861056Publication Date: 2011-03-02Concise descriptions of grammar, use, and genres make Learning Japanese for Real indispensable for adult learners of the language. The volume presents a holistic view of the knowledge required for proficiency in Japanese. Following introductory chapters on the language's background, sound system and scripts, word types, and grammatical categories, it introduces readers to simple then complex sentences. A chapter on emotive expressions contains highly useful entries on attitudinal adverbs, exclamatory phrases, interjections, and rhetorical questions--all of which carry emotive meanings. Learning Japanese for Real then goes beyond grammar to discuss how the language is used in interaction. The author discusses communication strategies such as requesting, apologizing, and inviting as well how to interact when participating in a conversation with behaviors such as hand signals, bowing, and nodding. She considers metaphor, tautology, puns, and the lingering effect of yojoo before addressing the organization of Japanese discourse, including the four-part organizational principle of ki-shoo-ten-ketsu and the structure of "staging." The final sections feature authentic examples of popular culture discourse from manga, television, advertising, magazines, and cell-phone novels and a host of practical suggestions (methods, tools, resources) for learning Japanese. Learning Japanese for Real will become an key source for Japanese language students during their elementary, intermediate, and advanced training. As an essential anthology of grammar, use, and genres of the Nihongo world, teachers of Japanese will also find it invaluable.
- Using Japanese synonyms byISBN: 9781316555767Publication Date: 2016"Being a successful speaker of a given language involves control of the meaning and use of vocabulary items, taking in their lexical content (what phenomena they refer to), combinatorial behaviour (what items they occur with) and situational characteristics (e.g. as colloquial or formal terms). This essential reference book provides clear information on these aspects for around three hundred groups of Japanese near-synonyms, supplemented by a wide range of authentic examples."
Last Updated: Aug 22, 2024 2:05 PM
URL: https://libguides.umn.edu/CIS/BeginningJapanese