Given a simple pattern like this, I'm wondering what the topic of the third
sentence is.

クラウスさんは学生です。 私も学生です。 日本語を勉強します。

After using も in the second sentence, is the topic of the third sentence still
クラウスさん, 私, or both?
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2020-12-19T02:43:43.040
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2020-12-19T15:50:02.600
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question
particle-も topic
Does も change the topic?
Interesting question.

I think the topic is still クラウスさんは

If they were both the topic of the second sentence you would have used と一緒に

If the topic were you, I think you would have used 日本語 **も** 勉強します (I think it
is implicit that クラウスさんは learns japanese since he/she is a 学生)
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2020-12-19T07:57:48.550
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2020-12-19T08:37:40.347
2020-12-19T08:37:40.347
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> クラウスさんは学生です。 私も学生です。 日本語を勉強します。

doesn't sound very natural, partly because 日本語を勉強 **します** usually means you
are going to learn Japanese from now or in the near future, rather than that
you've already started learning or you're currently learning Japanese. It's
not very natural also because it's not clear who's the subject of the 3rd
sentence. If I heard:

> クラウスさんは学生です。 私も学生です。 日本語を勉強し **てい** ます。

I would probably interpret it as "Klaus-san is a student. I am a student, too.
I am learning Japanese." though it might depend on the context.
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2020-12-19T15:50:02.600
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2020-12-19T15:50:02.600
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answer