Giuseppe Pappalardo

Giuseppe Pappalardo is an Associate Professor in the Department of Asian and North African Studies at Ca' Foscari University of Venice. His research and teaching focus on Japanese and Korean language and literature, with a specialization in Japanese linguistics. He serves as the Director's Delegate for Orientation and Tutoring and is actively engaged in academic leadership and international collaboration.

• Department: Department of Asian and North African Studies
• Email: giuseppe.pappalardo@unive.it
• Office: San Sebastiano Campus, Studio 228D
• Website: Personal Profile

Education:

• PhD in History of the Japanese Language, Università degli studi di Napoli 'L'Orientale' (2013)
• Master's in Linguistics of Asia and Africa, Università degli studi di Napoli 'L'Orientale' (2009), 110/110 with honors
• Bachelor's in Comparative Languages and Cultures (Literary Curriculum), Università degli studi di Napoli 'L'Orientale' (2006), 110/110 with honors
• Japanese Language Proficiency Test Level 1 (2008)

Giuseppe Pappalardo’s primary research interests lie in Japanese linguistics, particularly historical linguistics, dialectology, phonology, and phonetics. He investigates diachronic variations in the Japanese language, including vowel devoicing, pitch accent acquisition by learners, and morphosyntactic changes in historical texts such as kyōgen plays and medieval narratives. His work often employs corpus-based methodologies, including the Corpus of Historical Japanese and the Corpus of Spontaneous Japanese. A significant portion of his research is dedicated to the Ryukyuan languages and their relation to Old Japanese, reflecting a deep engagement with endangered linguistic varieties in Asia.

His recent publications reveal a consistent focus on the evolution of Japanese syntax and phonology over time. He examines phenomena such as the decline of kakari-musubi, phonetic realization of /*p/ in early periods, and sociolinguistic variation in kyōgen. His research combines meticulous philological analysis with modern linguistic theory and computational tools, positioning him at the intersection of traditional and contemporary approaches to Japanese studies. The recurring use of corpora underscores his methodological rigor and commitment to empirical evidence.

Scientific Awards and Fellowships:

• Erasmus+ Teaching Staff Mobility Fellowship (2024, 2020, 2017)
• Best Essay Award, AISTUGIA Conference (2016)
• Japan Foundation Fellowship (2016)
• JSPS Fellowship (2011)
• Monbukagakushō Scholarship (2007)
• Doctoral Scholarship from 'L'Orientale' (2009)
• Exchange Scholarship with TUFS (2005)

Giuseppe Pappalardo has supervised numerous academic activities and mentored students in linguistics and Japanese language studies. He has secured competitive international grants and fellowships, enabling extended research stays in Japan at institutions such as Waseda University, Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, and the National Institute for Japanese Language and Linguistics. He has been a visiting scholar multiple times under Erasmus+ and JSPS programs, demonstrating strong international collaboration. He is also actively involved in academic service, including organizing conferences and serving as Secretary General of the Italian Association for Japanese Language Teaching (AIDLG).

Research Groups and Affiliations:

• Research Group: Diachronic variations of the Japanese language (with Paolo Calvetti)
• Member of: AIDLG, AISTUGIA, AJE, EAJS, Phonetic Society of Japan
• Former Contact Person for Japan Mobility Programs at Ca' Foscari