Kenji Oda

Kenji Oda is an Assistant Professor of Linguistics in the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics at Syracuse University, part of the College of Arts and Sciences. His work focuses on syntax, phonology, and the structural analysis of languages like Japanese and Irish. He currently serves as Linguistic Theory Concentration Advisor for the MA Program in Linguistics.

Education

• Ph.D., Linguistics, University of Toronto (2012)
• M.A., Linguistics, University of Toronto (2002)
• B.A., General Linguistics, University of Victoria (2000)

Research Interests

Dr. Oda explores syntactic phenomena in Celtic and Japanese languages, including adjective placement in Irish, relative clause structures, and Japanese nominal compound accentuation. His theoretical contributions address syntax theory and phonological-morphological interactions. Recent work proposes locality-driven syntactic mechanisms and analyzes head-dependent asymmetries in Japanese prosody.

Teaching

Teaching responsibilities include courses on linguistic analysis, syntax, Japanese language structures, and English linguistic features. Recent courses span introductory linguistics to advanced syntax seminars.

Service

• Linguistic Theory Concentration Advisor (2021–Present)
• Organizer, Japanese Culture & Conversation Table (2024)
• Japanese Study Program Administrator (2024)