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Arabic
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Arabic Calligraphy on large pishtaq of the Taj Mahal |
The Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Istanbul |
Emir Qurqumas complex |
Arab League Flag |
Many English words originated from the Arabic language. Words such as “algebra”, “alchemy”, “soda”, “admiral”, “alcohol”, “zenith”, “lilac”, “mascara”, “massage”, “sofa”, and many more. According to the World Almanac about 250 million people speak (a form of) Arabic.
Our program offers beginner and intermediate courses, currently taught by Saad Ahmad.
The courses offered in Arabic are:
ARAB 181. Arabic I. (4) Introduction to the structure of modern Arabic. Essentials of grammar, speaking, reading, and writing.
ARAB 182. Arabic II. (4) Continuation of Arabic I. (Pr.: ARAB 181 or equiv.)
ARAB 281. Arabic III. (4) Further development of language skills. (Pr.: ARAB 182 or equiv.)
ARAB 282. Arabic IV. (3) Continuation of Arabic III. (Pr.: ARAB 281 or equiv.)
ARAB 540. Special Studies in Arabic. (Var.) Pr.: Consent of the department head and instructor involved.
Please contact Saad Ahmad at goarabic@ksu.edu for more information.
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Czech
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Coat of Arms |
Holy Trinity Column in Olomouc |
Charles Bridge & Prague Castle |
Czech Republic Flag |
Kansas State University has developed ties with the Czech Republic mainly through the Architecture Program, and in conjunction with the Office of International Programs. The Department of Modern Languages has lent a hand for several semesters to support these programs by offering a Czech for travelers course.
CZECH 100 represents a broad introduction to the Czech culture and language. To understand a culture, one must first understand the people – where they come from, who they are, the values and traditions they live by, as well as their customs and etiquette. This and much more is covered in this course. All the topics discussed are accompanied with basic vocabulary and essential grammatical patterns. The purpose of this course is to help students understand the differences they will encounter while studying in the Czech Republic.
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Italian
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Coliseum |
Tower of Pisa |
Beach |
Italian Flag |
About 63 million people speak Italian in the world, mainly in Italy, but also in Switzerland where Italian is one of its four official languages. The Italian culture can be seen through its Roman ruins, and Italy's architecture, but also in its food.
The courses offered in Italian are:
ITAL129. Italian IL. (1) Language laboratory. Strongly recommended for students taking Italian I. Concurrent enrollment in Italian I required. For Credit/No Credit only. Credit given only upon receiving a passing grade for the concurrent section of Italian I.
ITAL130. Italian IIL. (1) Language laboratory. Strongly recommended for students taking Italian II. Concurrent enrollment in Italian II required. For Credit/No Credit only. Credit given only upon receiving a passing grade for the concurrent section of Italian II.
ITAL131. Italian I. (4) Introduction to the structure of modern Italian. Offered in alternate years.
ITAL132. Italian II. (4) Continuation and completion of the study of modern Italian grammar, using the facilities of the language laboratory for audiolingual practice. Pr.: ITAL 131 or equiv. Offered in alternate years.
ITAL231. Italian III. (4) Grammar review and reading selections from Italian literature. Pr.: ITAL 132 or equiv. Offered in alternate years.
ITAL232. Italian IV. (3) Selective review of grammar and reading of examples of modern Italian literature. Pr.: ITAL 231 or equiv. Offered in alternate years.
ITAL520. Special Studies in Italian. (Var.) Pr.: Consent of department head and instructor involved.
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Latin
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Vatican's gardens |
Rome |
Vatican |
Flag of the Vatican |
Latin is an ancient language with no native speakers, the Vatican is the only country to have Latin as its official language. Latin is the basis for Romance languages, and from it comes (among others) Spanish, and French. English and German also have vocabulary derived from Latin.
The courses offered in Latin are:
LATIN105. Latin and Greek for Scientists. (1) The course is designed specifically to provide students of the biological sciences with a background in Latin and Greek roots of scientific terms. Emphasis on prefixes, suffixes, and word derivations. No prior knowledge of either Latin or Greek is required. Course may not be applied toward the fulfillment of either language or humanities requirements for any degree.
LATIN141. Latin I. (4) An introductory study of the structure of Latin. Offered in alternate years.
LATIN142. Latin II. (4) Continuation and completion of the study of the structure of Latin. Pr.: LATIN 141. Offered in alternate years.
LATIN241. Latin III. (4) Review of Latin grammar and reading of an anthology of Roman prose and poetry. Pr.: LATIN 142. Offered in alternate years.
LATIN242. Latin IV. (3) Continuation of the study of Latin syntax and grammar, based upon the reading of Roman prose and poetry. Pr.: LATIN 241. Offered in alternate years.
LATIN501. Classical Literature in Translation. (3) Selected readings in English from the works of such major classical authors as Homer, Euripides, Virgil, Horace, and Terence.
LATIN549. Special Studies in Latin. (Var.) Pr.: Consent of the department head and instructor involved.
Please contact Virgil Warren at vwarren@ksu.edu for more information.
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Swahili
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Kenya |
Tanzania |
Uganda |
African Union Flag |
About the program
The Department of Modern Languages offers Swahili courses at levels I, II, III, and IV. The beginning classes in this program are open to all registered undergraduate and graduate students. Advanced levels are open to students who complete preceding levels successfully.
WHY LEARN SWAHILI?
- Fulfill K-State foreign language requirements
- You may visit or live in a country where Swahili is Spoken
- Research in Africa will require a lingua franca like Swahili
- Study abroad opportunities exist where Swahili is spoken
- Scholarships exist to help with the cost of studying a critical language.
ABOUT SWAHILI LANGUAGE
Swahili, commonly referred to by native speakers as Kiswahili, is one of the major languages spoken in Africa. It is spoken by about 150 million people mostly in eastern and central Africa. It is the national and official language of Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, and one of the four national languages of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Other countries where Swahili is spoken include Rwanda, Burundi, northern Mozambique, northern Zambia, Malawi and southern Somalia. Swahili is a thriving and rapidly growing language.
People who speak Swahili as their first language are found along the East African coast, stretching from southern Somalia to the border between Tanzania and Mozambique and the offshore islands of Lamu, Zanzibar, Pemba, the Comoros, and the northwestern part of Madagascar. Most of the other speakers speak Swahili in addition to their other ethnic languages. However a growing number of people speak Swahili as a first language in major urban centers.
Swahili is the most widely taught language in academic institutions both in Africa and the rest of the world.
WHY STUDY SWAHILI?
People learn Swahili for various reasons. For example, many American institutions of higher learning require students to learn a foreign language to fulfill graduation requirements and Swahili fulfils this requirement. Individuals with academic and research interests in East and central Africa find Swahili a useful tool in the field. From archaeologists digging for fossils in Great Rift Valley, to linguists studying African languages, and researchers find Swahili invaluable in their work. Yet others study Swahili in order to participate in study aboard programs in East Africa. Given the multiplicity of languages spoken in East and central Africa, researchers and other visitors find the knowledge of Swahili important especially because they are able to communicate with speakers of other languages through the region’s lingua franca. Swahili is the lingua franca of most of East and Central Africa.
PROGRAM GOALS
The Department of Modern Languages offers Swahili courses at levels I, II, III, and IV. The following are the goals of the program: 1) development of communicative competence; 2) gaining knowledge and understanding of the cultures of Swahili and African people; 3) Use Swahili to connect with other disciplines and expand knowledge; 4) Develop insight into the nature of language and culture; and 5) Use Swahili to participate in communities at home and around the world.
PROGRESS ASSESSMENT
The following standards will be used to assess learner progress towards reaching the above goals.
I. Language use and communicative competence
This goal will focus on the students’ ability to communicate with others and how effectively they can use communication strategies to cope in linguistically unfamiliar or challenging situations. The three communicative modes to focus on include: the interpersonal mode, the interpretive mode, and the presentational mode.
The interpersonal mode will involve interactive communication via conversation or written exchanges, the interpretive mode will involve understanding and comprehending what one hears or reads, and presentational mode will involve expressing one’s ideas in speech or writing.
II.Gaining knowledge of the cultures of the Swahili speaking and the African peoples.
Goal two focuses on cultural competence. This will include the ability to understand the cultures of the Swahili-speaking people and eventually the ability to function in a culturally appropriate manner in the Swahili speaking environment. Students will arrive at a greater understanding of human condition as reflected across the centuries and around the globe in Swahili literature, art and philosophy. The perspectives of a culture are the ideas, beliefs, attitudes, and values of its people. The products of culture include concrete aspects of daily life, such as foods, clothing, type of housing, utensils, and inventions, as well as concrete and abstract elements of social organization found in educational, health, scientific, business, entertainment, recreational, and judicial institutions.
III. Use Swahili to connect with other disciplines and expand knowledge.
Goal three encourages students to use their Swahili communication competence (from goal one), and their cultural understanding of the world (from goal two), as a way of broadening knowledge. When the study of Swahili is connected to other disciplines, students’ learning expands beyond a limited focus on language acquisition to encompass a broader and more enriching educational sphere. Students will be able to identify and use information available to them in Swahili. Students are encouraged to build connections between Swahili language and other disciplines as well as using Swahili to acquire information.
IV. Develop insight into the nature of language of language and culture.
As students are introduced to Swahili cultures and observe how they function, they will begin to realize, for example that what defines polite manners in one cultural system may be considered inappropriate in another. They will discover the complexity of the interaction between language and culture. Goal four encourages students to expand their worldview, that is, their awareness of multi-lingual and multi-ethnic nature and multi-cultural context of contemporary society. Students will be encouraged to compare Swahili culture and other cultural systems. Authentic texts and other materials will be used and students will be encouraged to use them to draw comparisons.
V. Use Swahili to communicate in communities at home and around the world.
This goal encourages use of one’s Swahili competence beyond the classroom as well as enriching one’s personal life through knowledge of language and culture. The students are encouraged to use the language they have learned in the world around them: at school, in the workplace, in the community and in their travels. Students are also encouraged to share their knowledge of the world with classmates and with younger students who may be learning or wanting to learn the language. As students have the occasion to use Swahili in response to real- world needs, students are encouraged to seek out situations in which they may apply their competence beyond the school setting.
To learn more about the program contact:
Instructor: Geofred Osoro
Office: 114A Leasure Hall
Email: osoro@ksu.edu
Phone (785) 532 0633
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