2019-20

This sequence is a continuation of URDU 10100-10200-10300. There is increased emphasis on vocabulary building and reading progressively more complex texts. Depending on ability levels and interests of the students, readings can include selections from various original sources. Prospective students should contact instructor: ebashir@uchicago.edu.

Spoken by over thirty-five million people in South Asia, Urdu is the national language of Pakistan and one of the official languages of India. It is written in the Perso-Arabic script, which facilitates learning to read and write several other South Asian languages. This three-quarter sequence covers basic grammar and vocabulary. Our text is C. M. Naim’s Introductory Urdu, Volumes I and II. Students learn to read and write the Urdu script, as well as to compose/write in Urdu. By the end of three quarters students have covered all the major grammatical structures of the language. We also emphasize aural and oral skills (i.e., listening, pronunciation, speaking). These courses must be taken in sequence, since the script is introduced in the Autumn Quarter. Students should also be aware that they need to contact the instructor ahead of time to discuss scheduling if they are planning to take this course. Prospective students should contact instructor: ebashir@uchicago.edu.

Readings: Advanced Tibetan is for students who have successfully completed third year and fourth year or equivalent with placement test. The sequence is meant to expose students to a range of genres in Tibetan literature, including religious, historical, philosophical, scientific, and literary works. Instruction includes guided readings with continuing grammar review, practice in speaking, and application of philological methods.

The third- and fourth-year sequence is meant to expose students to a range of genres in Tibetan literature, including religious, historical, philosophical, scientific, and literary works. Instruction consists in guided readings, with continuing grammar review, practice in speaking, and application of philological methods.

This intermediate sequence covers second-level pronunciation and grammar of the modern Lhasa dialect, as well as intermediate-level reading and speaking skills.

The Tibetan language, with a history going back more than one thousand years, is one of Asia's major literary languages. At the present time, it is the first language of close to seven million people in Tibet, as well as in India, Nepal, and Bhutan. The textbook is The Manual of Standard Tibetan by Nicolas Tournade and Sangda Dorje. This introductory sequence covers the script and pronunciation, the grammar of the modern Lhasa dialect, as well as basic reading and speaking skills.

This will be a lecture cum workshop. It will trace the history of the prosody used in Tamil literary works from the beginning to the modern from the points of its grammar, development and the demands on it from the emergence of new genres, literary themes and audience. The workshop part will consist of doing prosodic analysis of selected literary works.