Linguistics to offer new language courses during summer

The current war in Iraq and conflicts before it have put the Middle East and Eastern Europe into the world spotlight. Beginning in the summer semester, SIUC's Linguistics Department will add two pilot courses of the less commonly taught languages of Arabic and Polish, whose languages are becoming more important in the United States.

"What we realized is that we have a large resource of diverse backgrounds in our department and we should utilize them," said John Dotson, chairman of the Linguistics Department.

The department boasts graduate students from different countries, Dotson said. He also said allowing these students to teach non-traditional courses helps the graduate students more fully understand their language and how it can properly translate into English.

Dotson said bringing these languages is a great opportunity for students at SIUC because exposure is important for a world cultural view.

"If you go to a different country, you should understand how to check into a hotel room, find a toilet and be able to read some of a newspaper," Dotson said.

Svetlana Vassileve, a graduate student from Bulgaria studying linguistics who is fluent in Bulgarian, Polish, Russian, English and Czech, said she will be teaching Polish, which she received a bachelor's degree in her own country.

Vassileva said offering Polish at SIUC is a great opportunity because so many students are from Chicago, which is home to the second largest Polish population in the world.

"It's a good idea that we can offer an Eastern European language because some student might want to learn their native language," Vassileva said.

Selim Ben Said, a graduate student from Tunisia studying linguistics, will be teaching Arabic.

Ben Said, whose native language is Arabic, is fluent in French, English and Italian, all three of which he learned before his 13th birthday. He also said the introductory class will cover the basic language as well as culture of his country.

"It won't be different to teach because it will be about language and culture," said Ben Said. "I won't talk a lot but let the students communicate to me."

Dotson said the two courses will be offered from June 13 to July 7. Arabic will meet from 1 to 3 p.m. Monday to Thursday, and Polish will be taught from 1 to 3:30 p.m. Monday to Friday.