This paper will demonstrate, the current dominant paradigm considers Japanese to be genetically linked to the family of Altaic languages, which includes Korean, Mongolian and Turkic. Although other linguists contend that Japanese may best be considered a hybrid language - containing strata of several linguistic elements - the Altaic connection appears to be the most well-defined at present. Through a discussion of the complexities involved in the question of the origins of Japanese, it will be argued that the strength of this genetic association is such that it seems the inevitable future revisions of this paradigm will - instead of rejecting the thesis altogether - probably only move the connection between the oldest ancestor of Japanese and Proto-Altaic further back into the past to a common source older than Proto-Altaic. 10 pgs. Bibliography lists 5 sources.
FREE Thesis Evaluation
