Textbooks:
Alif-Baa:
Introduction to Arabic Letters and Sounds by Brustad et al.
Al-Kitaab fi ta`allum al-`arabiyya
by Brustad et al.
Dictionary:
A
Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic (Wehr), edited by J M.
Cowan
In
this course students will be introduced to two modes of Arabic:
the “Standard” language based on the Classical Arabic
of the Qur’an, and a spoken version “colloquial” from the
educated classes of Egypt.
No
one can be said to “know” Arabic unless both types,
“standard” and “colloquial”, have been mastered. This semester begins the lengthy process of doing just that.
It
is difficult to learn a language when contact with the Professor
occurs only once per week. Accordingly,
students will be asked to complete homework assignments by the
Monday following each class; these may be sent to the Professor by
fax or by email (the latter, of course, assumes access to an
Arabic font). Assignments
will be reviewed, returned to the student, along with a new
assignment, due the following class-time.
In
effect, the attempt will be made to combine contact and
“distance learning” aspects of education into this course.
Homework
assignments will be graded; cumulatively they will account for 25%
of the final grade. Chapter
tests will also amount to 25%; attendance and class participation,
25%; the final exam in December will also amount to 25%.
While
ANY syllabus is tentative, every effort will be made to adhere to
the following schedule:
September
11
Unit 1, Alif-Baa
September
18
Unit 2, Alif-Baa
September
25
Exam, Units 1&2; Unit 3, Alif-Baa
October
2
Unit 4, Alif-Baa
October
9
Exam, Units 3&4; Unit 5, Alif-Baa
October
16
Unit 6, Alif-Baa
October
23
Exam, Units 5&6; Unit 7, Alif-Baa
October
30
Unit 8, Alif-Baa
November
6
Exam, Units 7 & 8; Unit 9, Alif-Baa
November
13
Unit 10, Alif-Baa; learning to use a dictionary
November
20
Lesson 1, al-Kitaab
November
27
THANKSGIVING DAY – No Class Scheduled
December
4
Lesson 2, al-Kitaab
December
11
Final Exam
NB:
When learning a language, it is (infinitely?) better to
work a little each day than to cram on weekends or over large
chunks of time. In
other words, an hour each day of review and preparation
during the week is to be preferred over spending the entirety of a
Saturday or Sunday trying to catch-up.
Also,
in learning a language, it is better to use your out-of-class time
to work on material that has already been presented in class,
rather than to “work ahead”.
Working ahead risks internalizing faulty linguistic input: This is NOT a “teach yourself” course!
“I’m
not here to hand out bad grades” is one of my mottos.
Every effort will be made to keep you all up to speed, that
being one of the luxuries of having a small class.
Most
importantly: HAVE
FUN! Even though
Arabic is NOT an easy language, it CAN be enjoyable.
I’ll try to make it that way; if you work, there is that
much more chance of making it that way for yourself.
Steven
Blackburn