Kiyono Fujinaga-Gordon
Assistant Teaching Professor of Japanese Studies
- POS
Department of Languages, Cultures & Applied Linguistics
4980 Margaret Morrison St
Posner Hall 341
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
Bio
Kiyono Fujinaga-Gordon is a researcher, educator and parent, guided by a deep commitment to community and connection. Born and raised in Ōita, Japan, she grew up in a linguistically and culturally homogeneous environment. As a child, she once believed that people with blue eyes might literally see the world tinted blue—a notion that later evolved into a lifelong curiosity about language and perception. This curiosity was sparked further in high school upon encountering the concept of linguistic relativity: the idea that the language one speaks can influence how they perceive the world.
She moved to Tokyo for college, majoring in English linguistics and went on to pursue a master’s degree in linguistics. During her graduate studies, Dr. Fujinaga-Gordon was surprised to discover that, contrary to the common belief that "everyone in Japan speaks Japanese," there are multiple languages spoken in Okinawa Prefecture that are not dialects but distinct, typologically unique languages. This revelation led to work documenting one such language — Miyako.
In 2016, she moved to the United States to study linguistic documentation and typology. However, her focus shifted after engaging with Japanese heritage children in a small community in Buffalo, New York, ultimately resulting in a dissertation on heritage language acquisition. Her experiences as an international student illuminated many of the challenges faced by people in minority groups in the U.S.
At Carnegie Mellon University, Dr. Fujinaga-Gordon advocates for individuals from marginalized backgrounds and provide support for international students, drawing on personal and academic experiences to foster inclusion and belonging.
Education
Ph.D., Linguistics, University at Buffalo
M.A., Japanese Linguistics, University of Tokyo
B.A., English Linguistics, Translation Studies, Teaching Japanese as a Second Language, Tsuda College
Areas of Interest
- Japanese Linguistics
- Language Documentation
- Digital Humanites
- Language justice in healthcare
- Critical Applied Linguistics
Courses Taught
- 82-273: Introduction to Japanese Language and Culture
- 82-277: Introduction to Japanese Linguistics
- 82-472: Topics in Japanese Studies
- 82-371: Advanced Japanese I
- 82-372: Advanced Japanese II
Selected Awards and Honors
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- Faculty Research Grant, The Humanities Center, Carnegie Mellon University, 2025
- Provost’s Inclusive Teaching Fellowship, Carnegie Mellon University, 2025–2026
- Immersive Cultural Innovation Fund, The Kenner Room, Department of Languages, Cultures & Applied Linguistics, Carnegie Mellon University, 2025
- Research grant, KAKEN: 24K21189, PI Dr. Tatsuhiko Matsushita, 2024
- Research grant, Japan Foundation, 2023
Selected Community, University & Professional Service
- Admission Committee Member, M.A. in Applied Linguistics & Second Language Acquisition, Department of Languages, Cultures & Applied Linguistics, Carnegie Mellon University
- Mentor, Satsuki-kai mentoring program, Almunae Association of the University of Tokyo
- Field Bibliographer, Modern Language Association
Selected Publications
(forthcoming) Fujinaga-Gordon, Kiyono., Tatsuhiko Matsushita, Yuka Takedomi, Yumi Eto, Remi Kakiyama, Tomoko Katayama, Etsuko Koda, Towa Suda. Cultivating critical thinking through foreign language curricula: Insights and implications. Journal of Japanese Linguistics.
(in press) Fujinaga-Gordon, Kiyono, Joshua H. Gordon, and Aya Williams. Language
assistance and policies for bilingual mental health. In Bilingualism, Emotion &
Mental Health. New Jersey: Wiley.
(revision submitted) Zhang, Miao and Kiyono Fujinaga-Gordon. An illustration of IPA: Ikema dialect of Miyako language, a Southern Ryukyuan language.
Fujinaga-Gordon, Kiyono. (2025). The Development and Acquisition of Japanese Benefactive
Constructions: A Role and Reference Grammar Analysis. Leiden: Brill