Classical Japanese Poetry as Linguistic Input: A Motivational–Linguistic Perspective
This article examines classical waka poetry as a form of linguistically dense input in Japanese language acquisition. Drawing on the ARCS model as a heuristic framework, the study analyzes how structural boundedness, semantic compression, and diachronic morphosyntactic features shape learner interaction with poetic texts. Particular attention is given to modality, evidential marking, negation, and conventionalized metaphor in classical Japanese (kobun). Through comparative analysis with textbook-style prose, the paper demonstrates that poetic language distributes complexity differently across form, meaning, and discourse function. The findings suggest that structurally constrained poetic input may foster focused interpretive engagement and support learner motivation by integrating grammatical, lexical, and pragmatic elements into a coherent system.