Lorenzo Nespoli

Lorenzo Nespoli is a Researcher at the Department of Asian and North African Studies, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, where he is currently working on the project A Corpus-based Morphosyntactic Analysis of Early Modern Japanese Translations from Dutch and Portuguese (CŌMŌ). He has previously held teaching and research positions at the University of Padua, University of Turin, and Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna. His academic journey reflects a deep engagement with Japanese-Dutch cultural and linguistic exchange in early modern Japan.

• PhD in Asian and North African Studies, Ca' Foscari University of Venice (35th cycle), cotutelle with Leiden University
• Master's Degree in Languages, Economies and Institutions of Asia and Northern Africa (Japanese Language), Ca' Foscari University of Venice (2015–2018)
• Bachelor's Degree in Foreign Languages and Literatures, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna (2012–2015)
• Advanced Japanese Business Course, Kyoto Japanese Language School (2017–2018)
• Dutch Language Summer Course, Escola oficial d'Idiomes Barcelona (2014)

Lorenzo Nespoli's research interests center on the linguistic and cultural interactions between Japan and Europe during the Edo and Meiji periods, with a particular focus on Rangaku (Dutch learning), the reception of European scientific and grammatical theories in Japan, and the role of translation in cultural transfer. His work bridges historical linguistics, philology, and literary studies, emphasizing manuscript analysis and multilingual didactic texts. He investigates how Dutch and Portuguese knowledge was adapted into Japanese intellectual frameworks, especially through the works of scholars like Shizuki Tadao.

His recent publications reveal a strong trend in analyzing early modern Japanese translations of Dutch scientific and grammatical texts, exploring how European concepts were linguistically and culturally reinterpreted. Topics include poetic influences (e.g., Jacob Cats), morphosyntactic adaptations, and the role of language in knowledge transmission. His research increasingly incorporates interdisciplinary methods, linking linguistic analysis with cultural history and education.

Scientific awards and recognition include:

• Seal of Excellence for HORIZON-MSCA-2023-PF-01-01 Postdoctoral Fellowship
• Scholarship from the Nederlandse Taalunie for PhD studies in Dutch studies

Nespoli has advised and collaborated on multiple academic projects and publications, though no formal PhD or Master’s students are currently listed. He has secured competitive research grants and is involved in international collaborations, particularly with Leiden University and institutions in Italy, the Netherlands, and Belgium. He actively participates in academic conferences and symposia across Europe, often organizing events on translation, cultural memory, and linguistic heritage.

He is a member of several scholarly associations, including AISTUGIA (Italian Association for Japanese Studies), MediterraNed, IVN (International Association for Dutch Studies), and the European Association for Japanese Studies (EAJS). His current work involves building a corpus of early modern Japanese translations to analyze morphosyntactic patterns and the role of translation in knowledge dissemination during Japan’s period of limited foreign contact.