My field of research is within Japanese linguistics, and my PhD dissertation from 2017 was about person deixis in a contrastive perspective. Person deixis is not grammaticalized in the same way in Japanese as in English and other European languages, and in addition, nominal ellipsis is frequent in Japanese. In my dissertation, I have tried to find out whether the Japanese grammar system has any compensatory devices that serve to clarify the coding of participant roles. The entire dissertation is accessible here: http://bora.uib.no/handle/1956/17273

In 2013, I organized the 9th conference of the Nordic Association of Japanese and Korean Studies (NAJAKS) in collaboration with colleagues in the Bergen Area. 

From fall 2023, we will start a brand new Master´s program in Japan Studies here at UiB, and I will contribute with teaching and supervision mainly in the field of applied Japanese linguistics. 

In 2024-25 I have started a funded project for the development of a AI-based chatbot for Japanese learners at the elementary level. 

From 2025, I am working on an article (in English) about Plain Language movements in Japan. Next to Plain Japanese, which exists in the context of the international ISO standards, Japan has its own scholar-initiated movement called Yasashii nihongo (やさしい日本語), which has foreign residents as its main target.

I have appeared in Norwegian media (local and national radio and television) on several occasions as an expert on Japanese language and culture.

I work as a Teaching Professor (docent) of Japanese linguistics at our department, and teach Japanese language on elementary and intermediate levels. I also give lectures on topics related to Japanese society and culture, such as Meiji history, religion, gender/family and Japan in East-Asia. I have supervised a large number of bachelor´s theses on various topics in Japan Studies. From 2023 I will contribute with teaching and supervision in our new Master´s program in Japan Studies, mainly in the field of applied Japanese linguistics.

In 2023, I was awarded status as Excellent Teaching Practitioner at the University of Bergen.

名前：ベネディクテ・モスビー・イルゲンス（ノルウェー出身）

１９８８年〜９２年まで国費留学生として日本に留学。まず当時の大阪外国語大学で日本語を学び、その後大阪大学文学部現代日本語学科に編入。

学位：１９９２年度大阪大学現代日本語学講座修士号取得、博士課程中退 （指導教官　仁田義雄先生）、２０１７年度ベルゲン大学外国語学科博士号取得（指導教官　ラース・ラルム先生）

博士論文（英語）：　http://bora.uib.no/handle/1956/17273 (external link)

専攻分野、能力：応用言語学、対照言語学、現代日本語学、翻訳論、「やさしい日本語」運動、外国語習得における人工知能技術の可能性、やさしい日本語、プレーンランゲージ

実践日本語教育（初級と中級レベル）

通訳・翻訳（日本語、ノルウェー語、英語）

日本史、日本社会、日本研究などの講義（ノルウェー語）

日本語能力試験１級取得

令和4年度外務大臣表彰授賞

２０２３年度ベルゲン大学優秀教職員（個人）表彰受賞