Arabic 200 (Postgraduate)
- Course Code:
- 15PNMC389
- Status:
- Course Not Running 2013/2014
- Unit value:
- 1
- Taught in:
- Full Year
Objectives and learning outcomes of the course
At the end of the course, a student should be able to demonstrate…
- knowledge and understanding of intermediate Arabic grammar
- knowledge and understanding of a wide range of Arabic vocabulary
- knowledge and understanding of the appropriateness of a wide range of Arabic structures and expressions in a given context
- the ability to understand passages in written Arabic of medium length on everyday and some specialised topics
- the ability to produce passages in written Arabic of medium length on everyday and some specialised topics
- knowledge and understanding of the role of language in general, and Arabic in particular, in language-based scholarship and research - specific learning outcome for PG students
Workload
This course will be taught over 22 weeks with 5 hours classroom contact per week in language classes. An additional 6 hours will be spent in lectures and an further 6 hours will be spent in seminars/tutorials over the 22 week period.
Scope and syllabus
The course provides teaching and learning of intermediate level Arabic language with emphasis on reading and writing skills. The course covers complex points of word and sentence structure as well as textual relations in Arabic writing and discourse. Communicative practice and structural knowledge is established through reading and discussing a variety of Arabic texts dealing with different topics and of different length and complexity. The course will also provide basic training in conversation and listening skills.
The course provides students with intermediate knowledge of Modern Standard Arabic, as well as a basic knowledge of conversational Arabic. Specialised topics, particularly of political and cultural relevance, will be covered in order to enable students to interact with Arabic speakers and use original Arabic language sources within the level covered in the course. This provides students with a basis to approach research topics relating to Arabic language and the histories, societies and cultures associated with Arabic.
A series of special PG lectures with associated seminars structured around the six themes Structure, Texts, Identity, Society, Translation and Transformation (provided for PG students studying different languages) introduces students to general questions of the role of language in language-based scholarship and research and provides them with the critical and methodological skills to relate their language acquisition to the thematic aspects of the studies
Method of assessment
One three-hour written examination taken in May/June (50%); one essay of 3,000 words to be submitted on Friday, week 1, term 3 (30%); mid term test in term 1 (2 hours in duration) (10%); mid term test mid term test in term 2 (2 hours in duration) (10%).
Suggested reading
Teaching is principally based on the course book:
- Alosh, Mahdi and Allan Clark, Ahlan wa Sahlan: Functional Modern Standard Arabic for Beginners (New Haven: Yale, 2009).
The course convenor will also provide additional texts from contemporary Arabic media.
