Arabic Courses
101 Elementary Modern Standard Arabic I
Developing the ability to use Arabic functionally and communicatively in context;
intensive oral interaction with instructor and fellow students; the basics of
the writing system.
Su, Au, Wi, Sp Qtrs. Not open to native speakers of this language through regular course enrollment or EM credit or to students with 3 or more years of study in this language in high school, except by permission of dept. GEC for lang courses. FL Admis Cond courses.
101.01 Classroom Track U 5 5 cl.
Students must register for and complete 5 cr hrs during the qtr.This course is available for EM credit.
101.51 Individualized Track U 1-5
Repeatable to a maximum of 5 cr hrs. Students register for and complete from 1 to 5 cr hrs during the qtr. Students who complete 5 hrs before the end of the qtr may proceed to 102.51. Progress is sequential from one cr hr to the next, with proficiency at the level of 80% required for advancement.
102 Elementary Modern Standard Arabic II
Developing further language ability through learning how to perform certain
functions orally and using them with fellow students; reading and writing passages
reflecting their abilities. Not open to native speakers of this language through
regular course enrollment or EM credit. GEC for lang courses. FL Admis Cond
courses.
Au, Wi, Sp Qtrs. Prereq: 101.01 or 5 cr hrs of 101.51. Students must register for and complete 5 cr hrs during the qtr. This course is available for EM credit.
102.51 Individualized Track U 1-5
Su, Au, Wi, Sp Qtrs. Prereq: Grade of B- or above in 101.01, or 5 cr hrs of 101.51, or permission of instructor. Repeatable to a maximum of 5 cr hrs. Students may register for 101.51 or 102.51 concurrently with permission of instructor. Students register for and complete from 1 to 5 cr hrs during the qtr. Students who complete 5 hrs before the end of the qtr may proceed to 103.51. Progress is sequential from one cr hr to the next, with proficiency at the level of 80% required for advancement.
103 Elementary Modern Standard Arabic III
Further language functions requiring the use of more complex structures;
intensive oral interaction with instructor and fellow students; reading practice
in and out of class. Not open to native speakers of this language through regular
course enrollment or EM credit. GEC for lang courses.
Au, Wi, Sp Qtrs. 5 cl. Prereq: 102.01, or 5 cr hrs of 102.51, or 110.
Students must register for and complete 5 cr hrs during the qtr. This course is available for EM credit.
103.51 Individualized Track U 1-5
Su, Au, Wi, Sp Qtrs. Prereq: Grade of B- or above in 102.01, or 5 cr hrs in 102.51, or permission of instructor. Repeatable to a maximum of 5 cr hrs. Students register for and complete from 1 to 5 cr hrs during the qtr. Progress is sequential from one cr hr to the next, with proficiency at the level of 80% required for advancement.
104 Intermediate Modern Standard Arabic I
Building on previously acquired functional abilities; using Arabic to express
opinion and feelings; oral interaction in the classroom; reading authentic texts
of various genres. Not open to native speakers of this language through regular
course enrollment or EM credit. GEC for lang courses.
Au, Wi, Sp Qtrs. 5 cl. Prereq: 103 or 112. Not open to students with credit for 602. This course is available for EM credit.
104.51 Individualized Track U 1-5
Su, Au, Wi, Sp Qtrs. Prereq: Grade of B- or above in 103.01, or 5 cr hrs in 103.51, or permission of instructor. Repeatable to a maximum of 5 cr hrs. Students complete from 1 to 5 cr hrs during the qtr. Progress is sequential from one cr hr to the next, with 80% proficiency required for advancement. 151 Basic Colloquial Arabic I Introduction to phonology and grammar of the spoken language of educated urbanites of the Eastern Arab world. Not open to students with credit for 106 or 151 or 201. Does not satisfy ASC foreign language requirement.
151 Basic Colloquial Arabic I
Introduction to phonology and grammar of the spoken language of educated urbanites
of the Eastern Arab world. Not open to students with credit for 106 or 151 or
201. Does not satisfy ASC foreign language requirement.
151.51 Individualized Track U 1-5
Arr. Prereq: Written permission of instructor. Repeatable to a maximum of 5 cr hrs. 152 Basic Colloquial Arabic II U 5 Continuation of 151; analysis of and drill in morphological and syntactic patterns; expansion of vocabulary; practice in conversation.
Prereq: 151 or permission of instructor. Not open to students with credit for 107 or 202. Does not satisfy ASC foreign language requirement.
200 Arabic Grammar200.01 Arabic Grammar I U 5
Accelerated introduction to the structure of modern standard and classical Arabic: phonology, morphology, and syntax, with emphasis on development of reading comprehension skills.Prereq: 104. Not open to students with credit for 400.01 or 402.
This course will cover phonology, morphology and syntax, with particular emphasis on the development of reading comprehension skills. Students are expected to complete all reading assignments and do daily translation exercises and structural analysis of sentences and texts. Regular attendance, a midterm, a final and weekly quizzes are required.
200.02 Arabic Grammar II U 5
Continuation of 200.01 with emphasis on the grammatical analysis and comprehension of authentic texts selected from different periods and genres.Prereq: 200.01 or permission of instructor. Not open to students with credit for 400.02
This course will present more complex structures of Arabic to enable students to analyze and comprehend authentic texts presented in advanced Modern Standard and Classical Arabic literature classes. Students are expected to complete all reading assignments and do daily translation exercises and structural analysis of sentences and texts. Regular attendance, a midterm, a final and weekly quizzes are required.
205 Intermediate Modern Standard Arabic II
Initiating and sustaining communication; reading and understanding short
authentic passages; and writing to express many language functions.
Prereq: 104.01 or 5 cr hrs of 104.51. Students must register for and complete 5 cr hrs during the qtr.
205.51 Individualized Track U 1-5
Su, Au, Wi, Sp Qtrs. Prereq: Grade of B- or above in 104.01, or 5 cr hrs of 104.51, or permission of instructor. Repeatable to a maximum of 5 cr hrs. Students register for and complete 1 to 5 cr hrs during the qtr. Progress is sequential from one cr hr to the next, with proficiency at the level of 80% required for advancement.
241 Culture of the Contemporary Arab World U 5
A general survey and examination of the socio-cultural structure of the
modern Arab world.
Su, Au, Wi, Sp Qtrs. H241 (honors) may be available to students enrolled in an honors program or by permission of department or instructor. Taught in English. GEC arts and hums cultures and ideas course.
The course consists of an analytical study of the cultural traits and patterns of contemporary Arab society based on scholarly research, recent field work, and personal experiences and observations in the Arab world. It examines the development of its language and dialects, beliefs, customs, and traditions within the framework of: a dynamically changing society; major ecological structures; the family and its value system; representative social, political and religious institutions; reform and challenges of modernization; trends in literature (with emphasis on the emotional and psychological dimensions of cultural traits and change), education, communications media, arts, and music. The course provides a rich and meaningful educational experience for the expansion of analytic skills, cultivation of aesthetic judgment, and development of insights into another culture, as well as a cultural context for the study of modern colloquial and/or Modern Standard Arabic.
241A Culture of the Contemporary Arab World: Why Do "They" Hate "Us"? U 5
GEC arts and hums cultures and ideas course.
This course is a special edition of the course, "Culture of the
Contemporary Arab World," for Autumn 2004. It considers possible
answers to the question asked by President Bush after 9/11, "Why
do they hate us?" in the context of the West's, including the United
States' historical and current relationships with peoples in the Arab
world. We will look carefully both at what the President might have meant
by "they" and "us," and some ways that westerners
and citizens of the Arab world have attempted to answer since 9/11. Special
emphasis will be put on past and present relationships of the Arab world
(Morocco to Iraq) with the West. Because this is a humanities course,
an important source of information will be study and discussion of East-West
relationships as portrayed in film (Battle of Algiers), literature,
music, folklore and other aesthetic forms of communication as well as
analyses and discussion of current events reported in global newspapers
and scholarly journals. We will start with the work, Why Do People
Hate America? by Sardar and Davies, which can be purchased from the
Student Book Exchange on High Street across from campus. There will also
be a course packet. All registered students will be e-mailed a syllabus
in early September.
253 Intermediate Colloquial Arabic U 5
Intensive practice in speaking Arabic with emphasis on various cultural
aspects of Arab life.
Prereq: 152 or permission of instructor. Does not satisfy ASC foreign language requirement. Not open to students with credit for 153. 293
Prereq: Written permission of dept. Repeatable to a maximum of 30 cr hrs.
Prereq: Written permission of dept. Repeatable to a maximum of 30 cr hrs.
367 Issues in Arab-American Society, Culture, and Literature
U 5
Discussion, analysis, and writing about issues relating to Arab-American
culture, society, and literature within the context of social diversity in the
United States.
371 Classical and Medieval Arabic Literature in Translation
U 5
Reading and analysis of major works of Arabic literature from the 5th to
the 17th centuries including classical poetry, the Qur'an, and the Arabian Nights.
Not open to students with credit for 271 and 272. GEC arts and hums lit course.
This course introduces students, through a series of texts in English translation, to important works representative of pre-modern Arabic literature -- the longest continuous literary tradition in the Western world. These works (including pre- and early Islamic poetry, the Qur'an, cAbbasid court and urban literature, Hispano-Arabic poetry and the Arabian Nights) are set in their cultural and historical context through reading assignments and classroom lectures, and they are discussed in some depth with full student participation. Students not only become acquainted with a number of masterpieces of a major and highly influential world literature, while considerably expanding their cultural horizons, but also encounter basic approaches of dealing with translations of those texts. Serious attention will be devoted to the nature of literary evidence and its utilization in support of aesthetic and critical judgments.
372 Modern Arabic Literature in Translation U 5
Reading and analysis of representative works of the 19th and 20th
centuries by contemporary Arab women authors.
H372 (honors) may be available to students enrolled in an honors program or by permission of department or instructor. Prereq: English 110 or 111 or equiv. Not open to students with credit for 273 or Wom Stds 372. Cross-listed in Women's Studies. GEC arts and hums lit course.
This course provides an informative and perceptive account of the literary developments in the Arab world from the beginnings of the literary Renaissance to the rise and development of the major genres of poetry and prose of the 19th and 20th centuries. Poetic selections, short stories, novels, and plays of wide-ranging orientation (romantic, mystical, socio-political, religious, and philosophical) are read and discussed. The course will focus on a number of important modern Arab writers, with particular attention to women writers. Students also develop insights into the nature of literary evidence and its utilization in support of aesthetic and critical judgments.
377 Contemporary Folklore in the Arab World U 5
Study of comparative folklore in the Arab world, including verbal art, material
culture, visual self- presentation, and performance.
Prereq: English 110 or 111. Cross-listed in Comparative Studies. GEC arts and hums cultures and ideas course.
This course will introduce students to a wealth of Arabic folklore, including the lore of Muslim, Christian and Jewish Arabs as well as Berbers, Kurds and other Arab world communities. For the purposes of this course folklore will be defined as traditional expressive culture—verbal art (e.g., myths, legends, folktales, riddles, jokes), material culture (e.g. the construction of local shrines, homes, boats as well as production of pottery, jewelry, embroidery, carpets), visual presentation of self (e.g., applications of henna, tattoos, dress, hairstyles), folk religion, rituals, festivals, and folk music (e.g., lullabies). Emphasis will be not on finished products but on cultural process. Students will look at what Arab world "folk" from different regions, religions and language and ethnic traditions have in common in regard to ethos, world view, practical and aesthetic needs and how they differ. By the end of the quarter it is to be hoped that students will have an enhanced respect for the power of traditional expressive culture, as a medium for understanding the affective dimension of any culture or community, and that of the Arab world in particular. Students will be given the theoretical tools to begin to be able to study other folklore forms and folk communities in which they are interested.
401 Intermediate Literary Arabic Reading U 5
Developing reading skills through reading adapted and authentic Arabic texts;
selections reflect cultural and literary aspects of Arab-Islamic civilization.
Prereq: 205 or permission of instructor.
There is a clear need to enable students of Arabic to become more efficient readers in Arabic, particularly those who intend to pursue further studies at the 600 level and beyond, where they are required to read in the original texts of considerable length which belong to various periods. In order that students may handle the increased amount of readings, they first must be helped to increase their reading speed, which has been shown to have a direct impact on comprehension. Other factors which contribute to reading efficiency, such as developed reading strategies, richness of vocabulary, and mastery of frequently used syntactic structures, need to be dealt with in a systematic manner. This course aims at developing students' abilities to understand and analyze Arabic texts linguistically and stylistically.
403 Intermediate Arabic Conversation and Composition U
5
Practice in aural comprehension, conversation, and controlled compositions
on various aspects of Arabic culture.
Prereq: 205. Not open to students with credit for 604.
This course develops the student's ability to read and comprehend the basic meaning of standard written Arabic prose in various fields and genres; to understand modern standard Arabic used in the media, e.g., as delivered in public speech, radio, and television; to write simple and reasonably correct prose; and to carry on a simple conversation in a manner understandable to monolingual Arabs.
603 Advanced Arabic Conversation and Composition U G 5
Intensive practice in speaking and writing Arabic at an advanced level based
on contemporary literary usage; conducted entirely in Arabic.
Prereq: 403 or permission of instructor. Not open to students with credit for 601. Intensive practice in speaking and writing Arabic at an advanced level based on contemporary literary usage; conducted entirely in Arabic.
The main objective of this course is to approach literary Arabic (fusha) as a living language used in various cultural activities in the Arab world, not only as a written language but also as a significant means of oral communication. In order to achieve this objective, literary as well as journalistic texts will be utilized. Recorded material (mainly radio broadcasting) will be incorporated to enhance the oral aspect. At the beginning, students will be exposed to fully vocalized texts, and midway through the course they will be handling unvocalized material. By the end of the course, students ought to have a reasonable fluency in literary Arabic as well as a developed skill in written statement without the extensive use of a dictionary. Such accomplishment will provide students with a great deal of self-confidence which will enable them to pursue their study of Arabic.
610 Introduction to Arabic Linguistics U G 5
An introduction to the structure of the Arabic language, both spoken and
written.
Prereq: 103 or 152, and Linguist 601, or permission of instructor.
An introduction to the structure of the Arabic language, both spoken and written, this course is designed (1) to introduce students to the basic phonological, morphological, syntactic, and lexical structures of Modern Standard Arabic (MSA); (2) to familiarize them with a general synchronic and diachronic analysis of Arabic with comparative reference to Classical Arabic and representative Arabic dialects; (3) to provide a descriptive analysis which is data-oriented in so far as it is not primarily involved with questions of linguistic theory; and (4) to prepare students for more advanced courses in Arabic linguistics.
611 History of the Arabic Language U G 5
Survey of the evolution of the Arabic language in its cultural and historical
setting.
Prereq: Permission of instructor. GEC third writing course.
This introductory lecture course surveys the development of the Arabic language from its origins to the present, with particular emphasis on its external history; i.e., the cultural factors that led to its evolution from a tribal dialect into a unique literary language. The emergence, growth, decline, and revival of Classical Arabic and the development of the Arabic script and its relationship to other writing systems are traced. The structure of Classical and dialectal Arabic, their affinities to Afro-Asiatic languages, and their interrelationships with other indigenous languages are outlined. The course treats the rise of communal dialects (Middle Arabic: Islamic, Judaic, and Christian); sociolinguistic variation (urban, rural, and Bedouin); diglossia; cultural phenomena; lexical and stylistic developments; and language reform.
615 Translation: Theory and Practice U G 5
Examination of some general guidelines for translating from Arabic to English
or from English to Arabic, depending on the first language of the student.
Prereq: Permission of instructor. Advanced reading proficiency in second language.
This course will expose students to a variety of text types that span different periods and genres. It will address such issues as text analysis, methods of translation, and translator latitude in reconstructing the meaning of the source text. The process of translating is viewed as primarily a reading process, involving the reconstruction of meaning in the source text. Therefore, like meaning reconstruction in reading, translation is something to be discussed and negotiated. This course will also deal with factors that affect the process of translation, such as cultural references and connotations, writer’s intention, source language grammatical and lexical norms, levels of language formality, attitudes, the audience of the translated work, the context in the target language, and views and background knowledge of the student/translator. Students will learn to strip ideas and meanings in the source text from their linguistic forms and express them as a native speaker would.
626 Introduction to the Arabic Qur'an U G 5
A linguistic, literary, and cultural analysis of selected chapters from
the Qur'an.
Prereq: 403.
In this course, students are introduced to the Scripture of Islam, deemed to be the very words of God as revealed by His Messenger Muhammad, in its original Arabic text. The unique linguistic, literary, and conceptual features of the Qur’an have long been recognized among Muslims (who affirm its inimitability and divine origin) and non-Muslims alike. After a few background lectures dealing with relevant historical, cultural, religious, linguistic, and orthographical questions, students undertake a careful, detailed, and analytic reading of selected chapters (suras), with special attention to language, style, and content. Students will become acquainted with fundamental secondary source materials that are essential to an adequate understanding of the Arabic text, such as Qur’anic commentaries, dictionaries, philological and grammatical works, and monographic studies. The primary purpose of the course, along with increasing the students' mastery of classical Arabic, is to lead students to consider what the Messenger's Arabic message might have meant to its first audiences in early seventh-century Mecca and Medina, and how it might have moved them.
627 Classical Arabic Poetry U G 5
Selected readings from classical and medieval Arabic poetry; Arabic metrics
and literary theory.
Prereq: 403.
Pre- and early Islamic Arabic poetry may justly be considered the highest art form of a people who delighted in and were devoted to the art of the word. Although the Arabs had surely been composing longer and shorter poems since, and prior to, Biblical times, the earliest examples of Arabic poetical art available go back to the fifth century A.D. These poems are characterized by complex meters and unique rhyme, rich conventions of style and imagery, and a special language of their own that was later to become the "classical" and literary Arabic that is known today. The course offers a few introductory lectures on historical, socio-cultural, and linguistic background and on the source materials available for the study of this poetry. The main part of the course centers upon close and careful reading of a range of early poetical texts, beginning with short, so called "fragments" and concluding with longer formal "odes" (qasidas). Some attention is also given to the nature of Arabic meters and rhyme and to their influence on the forms of poetic statement. Although the primary interests are to perceive and appreciate these poems as works of verbal art, students invariably ground perceptions and appreciation in an understanding of the Arabic texts themselves. Students may expect to experience considerable improvement in their ability to deal with the complexities of the Arabic literary language.
628 Classical Arabic Prose U G 5
Selected readings reflecting the evolution of Arabic prose literature from
its origins to the late Abbasid period.
Prereq: 403.
Out of the metrically restricted and conditioned language of classical Arabic poetry and the religiously charged language of the Qur’an, and through a process of linguistic evolution that is still a mystery, emerged the Arabic literary language of the eighth to eleventh centuries, the basis of today's Modern Standard Arabic. This language served as the vehicle for all forms of prose statement that might have been necessary or desirable in an imperial civilization like that of medieval Islam. Literature, history, religion, philosophy, science, philology, and bureaucracy are among the many areas on which volumes of "classical Arabic prose" have been written. Obviously a course such as this can provide students with no more than a sampling of a few works, a few authors, a few genres. The objectives of the course, then, are: to introduce students to a kind of written Arabic whose syntax had not yet been affected by Western languages (other than Greek); to give them some sense of stylistic characteristics and differences; to acquaint them with a small number of major writers or writings; and to make them aware of the primary and secondary sources relevant to the study and understanding of medieval Arabic prose (literary historical, bio-bibliographical, philological, etc.). The major focus in classroom discussion and analysis is an accurate comprehension of what an author has said in close connection with how he has said it.
651 Contemporary Arabic Prose Fiction U G 5
Reading and analysis of short stories and novels representative of major
developments and trends of the 20th century.
Prereq: 403. Not open to students with credit for 622 or 625.
This course examines the historical and aesthetic development of Arabic prose fiction, with particular emphasis on the themes and techniques of the late 20th century, when the novel and short story reached a period of maturity and were firmly established as dominant Arabic literary genres. Students broaden their understanding of the basic technique of narrative and acquire an appreciation of stylistic variation through analysis and discussion. They also become familiar with the critical connections between writer, medium, and reader; develop their analytical skills; and cultivate their aesthetic judgments in dealing with contemporary Arabic prose.
652 Contemporary Arabic Poetry and Drama U G 5
Reading and analysis of plays and poems representative of major developments
and trends of the 20th century.
671 The Qur'an in Translation U G 5
An introduction, in English, to the literary, religious, and cultural implications
of the fundamental Book of Arabic literature and of Islamic civilization.
As the unique scripture for the world's millions of Muslims since the early seventh century, the Qur’an has been the foundation of faith, the pattern and text for ritual, the source of law, the link with Judaeo-Christian monotheism, and the wellspring of an international, multicultural Islamic civilization. As verbal art, the Qur’an is held by Muslims to be linguistically and stylistically inimitable; and it is unquestionably a - if not THE - masterpiece of Arabic literature, even though its style, content, and arrangement are often poorly appreciated, misunderstood, and even misrepresented in this country. Through lectures and assigned readings, this course acquaints students with the geographical, historical, social, political, cultural, and religious environment of sixth and seventh century Arabia. There, in the international trade center of Mecca around 610 A.D., a moderately successful merchant from a moderately important family, Muhammad son of cAbdallah, received the first of a series of revelations from God that ended with his death in 632 A.D. and radically transformed his life, the lives of his people, and the history of the world. These revelations, which collectively comprise the Qur’an as it was established shortly after the Prophet's death, will form the primary subject matter of the course, i.e., through careful examination and serious discussion of extensive passages in at least three translated versions of the Arabic original. The primary object of the course will be to bring students to some understanding of just what the Qur’anic revelations might have meant to those who first heard them from the Prophet, how they might have affected different listeners in different contexts, and why they could so effectively move individuals, families, tribes, and whole societies in order to bring about the monumental personal and social reorientation that was - and is - Islam.
672 Arabic Folk Narrative in Translation U G 5
Literary and cultural aspects of 1001 Nights and other popular narratives
(epics, legends, folktales) in the Arab world.
692 Workshop U G 1-9
Intensive study of a problem common to the participants for the purpose
of developing sound principles and practices relating to it.
Prereq: Teaching experience and written permission of workshop director. Repeatable to a maximum of 27 cr hrs.
693 Individual Studies U G 1-5
Prereq: Written permission of instructor. Repeatable to a maximum of 15 cr hrs.
Prereq: Permission of instructor. Repeatable to a maximum of 30 cr hrs.
697 Study at a Foreign Institution U G 1-15
An opportunity for students to study at a foreign institution and receive
Ohio State credit for that work.
Prereq: Written permission of dept chairperson. Repeatable to a maximum of 45 cr hrs. This course is Progress ("P") graded. Students will pay Ohio State fees and any fees in excess of Ohio State tuition, as well as all travel and subsistence costs.
710 Studies in Arabic Linguistics U G 5
Advanced analytical study of synchronic, diachronic, sociolinguistic, and
dialectal topics and problems.
Prereq: 610 or 611 or permission of instructor. Repeatable to a maximum of 20 cr hrs.
An advanced analytical study of synchronic, diachronic, sociolinguistic, and dialectal topics and problems, this course is designed to allow students (1) to investigate a specific problem or area in Arabic linguistics using secondary as well as primary sources; (2) to develop insights into social as well as historical factors which contributed to linguistic change and variation in Arabic; and (3) to advance abilities in the analysis of complex linguistic structures in Arabic.
721 Studies in Arabic Poetry U G 5
Advanced study of specific poetic periods, figures, and/or topics involving
extensive reading and discussion of appropriate primary and secondary source
materials.
Prereq: 10 cr hrs of Arabic literature at the 600 level or equiv. Repeatable to a maximum of 15 cr hrs.
Sample Topic (1): Umayyad poetry. This topic provides advanced students in Arabic an opportunity for serious and detailed examination of poetical texts from the Umayyad age (661-750) -- the crucial transitional period between "classical" Arabic poetry and the largely urban and court poetry of the imperial cAbbasid age. Through close reading of a number of texts and consultation of major secondary sources, students become acquainted with a range of poets, genres, and critical questions, as well as with the historical and cultural context that gave rise to them. In addition, students advance their ability to deal with complex Arabic linguistic problems and gain greater familiarity in sources dealing with these problems. Primary emphasis is on analysis and discussion of the assigned poetical texts as verbal art, and students develop a relatively efficient way of perceiving and understanding the structure, style, and effectiveness of these poems. Students prepare, with a reasonable degree of completeness and accuracy, all assigned texts by the day they are to be discussed. Midway through the course each student, in consultation with the professor, selects a poem that is assigned to the class and dealt with on a designated class date in a discussion which that student directs. In addition, the student submits a complete, annotated translation of the selected poem, with an accompanying interpretive study (due by the last week of class). There is a final exam (assigned at the last class meeting and due on the day scheduled for the final) consisting of a single essay question and a small number of short poetical texts, both seen and unseen previously, for translation and brief discussion.
Sample Topic (2): Neoclassical Arabic Poetry. This topic provides students with an opportunity to study critically, discuss thoroughly, and appreciate perceptively the structural, stylistic, and cultural features that characterized the neoclassical poetry of the 19th and 20th centuries. Through close reading of several representative original texts, consultation of major secondary sources, and the application of selected literary criticism, students develop a capacity for the analytical exploration of neoclassical Arabic poetry not only as part of a cumulative legacy, but also as social, aesthetic and psychic events. In addition, students increase their competence in dealng with complex Arabic linguistic problems in poetical texts. Assigned texts are prepared for discussion in class. Two poems are selected by students, in consultation with the instructor, for translation, critical analysis, and presentation during the quarter. One research paper is prepared and presented in class demonstrating how any two of the neoclassical poets managed to combine a return to the purity of diction, forceful statement, and the classicism of the cAbbasids, with the ability to express their individual experiences in terms of their contemporary environments.
722 Studies in Arabic Prose U G 5
Advanced study of specific periods, authors and/or genres of prose writing
(literary or non- literary) involving extensive reading and discussion of primary
and secondary materials.
Prereq: 10 cr hrs of Arabic literature at the 600 level or equiv. Repeatable to a maximum of 20 cr hrs.
Sample Topic (1): Three Faces of Adab. This topic offers advanced students of Arabic a chance to encounter three important representatives of early adab literature. Adab is a uniquely Arabic form of belletristic prose tending to combine elements of instruction, entertainment, edification, exhortation, and stylistic virtuosity in elucidation or elaboration of a particular theme or set of themes, often from diverse sources (including poetical citations). Through close reading of extensive passages by Ibn al-Muqaffac (d. ca. 759), Ibn Abi ad-Dunya (d. 894), and al-Jahiz (d. 889), students become aware of questions and factors involved in the development of a distinctly "secular," non-scientific Arabic prose style and of three different approaches to adab composition. In addition, students increase their ability to deal competently with complex Arabic linguistic problems and gain much greater familiarity with the many and various sources where aid in dealing with these problems may be sought. Primary emphasis is on accurate understanding and rendition of the Arabic text and perceiving the relationship between stylistic and communicational uses of language. Students are expected to prepare all assigned passages by the day they are discussed with a reasonable degree of completeness and accuracy. Each student, in consultation with the professor, selects a substantial passage or group of passages from one or more of the three authors and prepares a fluent and accurate annotated translation of it to be submitted during the last week of class. There is a final exam (assigned at the last class meeting and due on the day scheduled for the final) consisting of a small number of relatively short passages from the three authors, both seen and unseen previously. These are to be identified by author, translated, and, where appropriate, annotated.
Sample Topic (2): The Short Stories of Yusuf Idris. A critical study and discussion of selected short stories which represent every stage of Idris's development as a writer of Arabic fiction (1954-70). Through close reading of the texts, limited consultation of secondary sources, and application of selected literary criticism, students develop insights into the relationship between stylistic and communicational uses of language. They also gain greater ability to deal competently with complex Arabic linguistic problems, particularly the mixture of literary and colloquial expressions. Two research papers are to be prepared and presented in class analytically demonstrating how Idris developed a mode of statement quite new to Arabic literary tradition by making full use of colloquial Arabic and how he used the short story as a functional medium to dramatize the need for revolutionary change in Arab society.
H783 Honors Research U 3-5
Offers undergraduates with special aptitudes a greater opportunity to do
independent study and research than is possible in normal course work.
Prereq: 4th yr standing with a grade of A in at least half of the Arabic courses and an average of B inthe remainder; permission of the instructor under whose supervision the work is to be completed and the Arts andSciences Honors Committee. Repeatable to a maximum of 15 cr hrs. At least 2 quarters are required of candidates for the degree BA with distinction in Arabic. Failure to receive a mark of S in this course is a disqualification for special honors.
801 Teaching Arabic at the College Level G 5
Methods and techniques for the teaching of Arabic at the college level.
Au Qtr. 2-wk intensive workshop followed by 1 2-hr cl weekly. Prereq: TA in NELC or permission of instructor.
For students enrolled in this course, the minimum number of hrs required for graduation is increased by 5 cr hrs. Required for GTAs in Arabic language courses, this course consists of a two-week intensive workshop in September before classes begin and a regular seminar during the quarter. The areas to be addressed are theories of language learning, instructional methods and techniques, and teaching the four skills, including testing oral proficiency, as well as topics specific to the teaching of Arabic.
811 Seminar in Arabic Studies G 5
Intensive investigation of a selected topic or problem in Arabic linguistics,
philology, literature, or literary culture.
Prereq: Permission of instructor. Repeatable to a maximum of 20 cr hrs. Preparation of major research paper is required.
This course will give graduate students an opportunity to explore thoroughly a major issue or phenomenon in the larger context of Arabic literary culture or linguistics and to examine its ramifications and implications. The objective is to provide a well-defined area of concentrated literary/cultural or linguistic study and invite the investigation of a specific scholarly problem through the application of appropriate research skills and methodological approaches.
998 Research in Arabic G 1-25
Research for thesis purposes only.
Prereq: permission of instructor. Repeatable to a maximum of 25 cr hrs.
