Someone who is learning a new language in addition to the one(s) they already know. 

Things that are alive.  

Written script that represents both meaning and sound, usually corresponding to a single syllable. 

The ability to switch between thinking about different concepts simultaneously. 

Process of sharing information, ideas, thoughts, or feelings. Refers to all modes of communication: signing, watching, and interacting in New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) and listening, speaking, reading, writing, and interacting in all other languages. 

The process of changing a verb or adjective from their dictionary form to match the context of the sentence.  

Formed by combining an ‘i-row’ kana with a small ‘ya’, ‘yu’, or ‘yo’ to create a contracted sound. 

Used alongside numbers to count specific items. Also known as classifiers or measure words. 

Groups of people who share common cultural traits such as language, traditions, beliefs, values, customs (tikanga), heritage, and stories that shape their identity. 

Belief and knowledge systems that influence how individuals make sense of the world.  

The accepted ways of behaving, speaking, and interacting that reflect a culture’s value system. 

Words used to point to specific things or people that vary based on distance or context. 

A sound written with a small ‘tsu’ in kana and a doubled consonant in romaji (e.g. kk, ss, tt). It creates a short pause or stop in the airflow. 

Chunks of language that follow a fixed pattern and are learnt as whole units. 

A reading aid used above or below kanji (characters) to show how to read a word. 

A routine or habit that is done regularly and repeatedly. 

Someone who is raised in a home where a language other than the dominant societal language is used. They may understand, use, or feel connected to that language, even if they don’t use it all the time or know it perfectly. 

Mainly used for native Japanese words and grammatical elements, such as particles and inflections. 

Language used to show respect when addressing or referring to others, especially elders, teachers, or people of higher social status. It encompasses three forms: respectful, humble, and polite. 

Words and expressions used to show respect and humility. 

Something that is not alive. 

The ability to recognise and respect cultural diversity. 

The combination of the two Japanese phonetic writing systems (hiragana and katakana).  

Japanese logographic characters, adapted from Chinese, where one character represents an entire word (both sound and meaning). 

A phonetic script where each character represents a syllable. Mainly used for foreign words and loanwords. 

Groups of languages that share a common ancestral origin.  

Using different grammar, vocabulary, and verb forms depending on relationships, context, and cultural norms. The levels are casual, polite, and honorific.  

The understanding of how a language works, including formation of signs, vocabulary, articulation, pronunciation, spelling, and grammar. 

Words borrowed from another language.  

To express that something doesn’t happen, isn’t true, or doesn’t exist.  

A dependent element that typically attaches to nouns to show grammatical and functional roles, such as indicating subject, object, topic/contrast, location, or time. 

Words written or represented based on how they sound.  

How the voice rises and falls when speaking, which can change the meaning of a word. 

Having two opposite or contrasting meanings, qualities, directions, or forces. Changes the meaning of a sentence between positive and negative.  

Words and expressions used to maintain social harmony and formality in general communication. 

The ability to sign, speak, write, interact, and present.  

A key component of a character that often provides a clue to its meaning or function.  

The ability to understand signed, spoken, or written language. 

Words and expressions used to show respect by elevating the other person. 

A system of writing Japanese sounds in the English alphabet, often for learners who are not yet familiar with kana or kanji. 

A writing system in which characters or symbols represent components of languages (e.g. letters, symbols, words). 

Understanding of how social factors (e.g. age, gender, race, class, location) influence language use and how language shapes social identity and relationships. 

Varying degrees of politeness or formality in spoken language, which is often influenced by the social relationship between speakers.  

The prescribed sequence in which the individual strokes of a character are written.  

A writing system in which each symbol represents a syllable, rather than a single word. 

Where consonants and vowels are grouped together to form a single square-shaped block that represents one syllable.  

The language a student is learning. 

Words or phrases used to refer to someone directly, often reflecting the speaker’s relationship to the listener. 

Signed, written, spoken, or visual materials that students use to understand and practise the target language (e.g. passages, dialogues, recordings, posters, menus). 

The ability to interpret, understand, and create meaning from visual information. 

How words and sentence structures repeat or follow a clear order. 

How strong and actively used a language is within a community.