Elementary Amharic
AMHAR 101
5 credits
(A&H for students who complete the full sequence, AMHAR 101/102/103)
Instructor: Dr. Mehari Worku
Office: Deny Hall 233 (In person) or on Zoom
Hours: Thursday 2:00-4:00 pm (Other times by appointment)
Background: Amharic is the main language of political economy in the Horn of Africa. It is the language of official communications for the Ethiopian government. Amharic is also spoken in major cities across the world wherever a significant Ethiopian diaspora community lives. Amharic has a very rich literary and historical corpus, which is indispensable to appreciate the history, culture and the internal fabric of Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. It is studied in major higher learning institutions in different countries with stronger academic, political, cultural, and economic ties to Ethiopia in particular and the Horn of Africa. Amharic remains one of the very few written languages in the world. Even within the elite group of written languages, Amharic stands as one of the very few languages with their own unique writing systems and long history.
Course Objectives: This course is aimed at enabling students to acquire the Amharic language, including its unique writing script. The course also targets at familiarizing students with major historical and cultural aspects of Ethiopia. Therefore, the course will have multiple practice sessions targeted at developing listening, speaking, reading and writing skills.
By the end of this course students are expected to be able to:
- Understand the basic linguistic history of Amharic
- Understand the basic geopolitical context of Amharic (who speaks it, where, why, and how)
- Be aware of the most commonly spoken dialects
- Be aware of the most common Ethiopian cultural items
- initiate and continue basic conversation in Amharic
- to read anything written in Amharic, comprehend basic, factual texts, and initiate and engage in basic conversation
Delivery:
Lectures, class discussions, drills, group works, listening practices, and cultural excursions
Course Content:
Chapter 1. Getting Acquainted
Chapter 2. People I know
Chapter 3. Food and clothing
Chapter 4. Where are we?
Chapter 5. Animals and occupations
Chapter 6. Time and Ethiopian Calendars
Chapter 7. Shopping
Chapter 8. Let us go!
Delivery Schedule
|
Week 1-3 |
Chapters 1 & 2 |
|
Week 4 |
Chapter 2 and 3 |
|
Week 5 |
Chapter 4 |
|
Week 6 |
Chapter 5 |
|
Week 7 |
Chapter 6 |
|
Week 8 |
Chapter 7 |
|
Week 9 |
Chapter 9 |
|
Week 10 |
Review and preparation for Final Exam |
Final Exam: Wednesday, Dec 11, 2024 10:30 a.m.-12:20 p.m.
Course Materials
- Appleyard, David. Colloquial Amharic. 2nd ed. Routledge, 2015.
- Beza Tesfaw Ayalew. Let’s Speak Amharic. Madison, Wisconsin: National African Language Resource Center, 2005.
- Leslau, Wolf. Amharic Text Book. Hamburg: Harrassowitz, 1967.
- Leslaw, Wolf. Concise Amharic Dictionary. Los Angeles: UCLA Press, 1996.
- ———. An Amharic Conversation Book. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 1965.
Course Requirements: Students are required to complete and submit all homework, projects, class assignments, quizzes and tests according to schedules. Students must participate in communicative oral class activities, role plays and dialogues. Elementary Amharic students are expected to maintain an organized binder or an accordion folder in which to keep class work and homework. Good attendance and consistent practice are indispensable in foreign language study.
Grade Breakdown:
|
Homework |
30% |
|
Attendance and Participation |
10% |
|
5 Quizzes |
20% |
|
Midterm |
15% |
|
Oral Presentation |
5% |
|
Written Final Exam |
20% |
Accessibility Statement: In this course, I am committed to creating an inclusive and accessible learning environment for all students. If you have a disability or believe you may need accommodations to succeed in this course, please contact me as soon as possible. I am dedicated to working with you and the university’s Disability Services Office to provide the necessary accommodations and support.
Requesting Accommodations: If you require accommodations, I encourage you to connect with the Disability Resource for Students to initiate the accommodation process. They will work with you to develop a personalized accommodation plan that meets your needs. You can contact the Disability Services Office via:
- 📩: uwdrs@uw.edu 🤳: 206-543-8924 Location: [Building: Mary Gates, Room#: 011]
Once you have your accommodation plan, please provide it to me as early in the semester as possible so we can discuss how to implement the accommodations effectively within the course structure.
Course Materials and Accessibility: I strive to ensure that all course materials, including readings, assignments, and multimedia, are accessible to everyone. If you encounter any barriers, such as documents that are not screen-reader friendly or videos without captions, please let me know immediately. I will make every effort to provide alternative formats or solutions to meet your needs.
Online Learning and Digital Accessibility: If you experience any issues with digital content or tools, reach out so address them promptly.
Participation and Assessments: All students are encouraged to participate fully in this course. If you need accommodations for exams, presentations, or other assessments, please notify me well in advance so we can ensure that appropriate arrangements are in place.
Feedback and Continuous Improvement: Your feedback is valuable in helping me improve the accessibility of this course. If you have any suggestions or concerns about the accessibility of course materials, activities, or assessments, please do not hesitate to contact me. I am committed to making adjustments as necessary to ensure an inclusive learning experience for all.
Conclusion: Accessibility is a priority in this course. I am here to support your learning journey and ensure that you have the tools and resources you need to succeed. Please feel free to reach out to me at any time with questions or concerns about accessibility.