Usama Soltan
Assistant Professor of Arabic
Email: usoltan@middlebury.edu
Phone: work802.443.5869
Office Hours: SPRING 2013: Mon 11:15-12:15, Wed 1:30-3:30 and by appointment
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Courses
Courses offered in the past four years.
▲ indicates offered in the current term
▹ indicates offered in the upcoming term[s]
ARBC 0101 - Beginning Arabic I ▲
Beginning Arabic I
The goal of this course is to begin developing reading, speaking, listening, writing, and cultural skills in Arabic. This course stresses written and oral communication, using both formal Arabic and some Egyptian dialect. Emphasis is also placed on reading authentic texts from Arabic media sources, listening to and watching audio and video materials, and developing students' understanding of Arab culture. 6 hrs lect/disc.
Fall 2011, Fall 2013
ARBC 0102 - Beginning Arabic II
Beginning Arabic II
This course is an intensive continuation of ARBC 0101. In addition to the goals stated for that course there will be extra emphasis on cultural skills during winter term. (ARBC 0101 or equivalent).
Winter 2012
ARBC 0103 / ARBC 0225 / LNGT 0225 - Beginning Arabic III
Beginning Arabic III
This course is a continuation of ARBC 0102. 6 hrs. lect/disc (ARBC 0102 or equivalent)
Spring 2010, Spring 2012, Spring 2013
ARBC 0112 - Introduction to Linguistics
ARBC 0201 - Intermediate Arabic I
Intermediate Arabic I
This course is a continuation of ARBC 0103. Emphasis is placed on reading authentic materials from Arabic media, expanding students' vocabulary, listening to and watching audio and video materials, and developing students' understanding of Arab culture and communicative competence. (ARBC 0103 or equivalent) 6 hrs. lect/disc
Fall 2012
ARBC 0202 - Intermediate Arabic II
Intermediate Arabic II
This course is a continuation of Arabic 0201. Fifth in a series of courses that develop reading, speaking, listening, writing, and cultural skills in Arabic. This course stresses communication in formal and spoken Arabic. (ARBC 0201 or equivalent). 6 hrs. lect/disc
Spring 2012
ARBC 0227 / LNGT 0227 - Arabic Sociolinguistics
Arabic Sociolinguistics (taught in English)
In this course we will focus on the inter-relationships between the way Arabic is used by native speakers and the various social contexts affecting that usage. In particular, we will discuss the phenomenon of diglossia in Arabic speech communities (that is, the co-existence of Modern Standard Arabic with the vernacular Arabic dialects of today); aspects of linguistic variation and change in the Arab world; the relation between register and language; as well as the relation between language and such sociological variables as education, social status, political discourse, and gender. Readings are primarily drawn from sociolinguists' studies in the Arab world. (ARBC 0101 or instructor's approval)
Spring 2013
ARBC 0301 - Advanced Arabic I
Advanced Arabic 1
A continuation of Arabic 0202. This course aims to help students reach an intermediate-high level of proficiency in reading, speaking, writing, listening, and culture. Readings include articles on cultural, social, historical, political and literary topics. (ARBC 0202 or equivalent) 3 hrs. lect/disc
Fall 2009
ARBC 0302 - Advanced Arabic II
Advanced Arabic II
This course is a continuation of Arabic 0301. It aims to help students reach an advanced level of proficiency in reading, speaking, and writing Arabic, as well as to develop further an understanding of Arab culture. Readings include articles on cultural, social, historical, political, and literary topics. Course will be conducted entirely in Arabic. (ARBC 0301 or equivalent) 3 hrs. lect/disc.
Spring 2009
ARBC 0402 - Advanced Arabic IV
Advanced Arabic IV
This course is a continuation of ARBC 0401 (ARBC 0302). 3 hrs. lect./disc.
Spring 2010
ARBC 0421 - Arabic Linguistic Variation ▲
Aspects of Arabic Linguistic Variation
In this course we will focus on aspects of Arabic linguistic variation across the Arab world. Topics will include: regional variation among major Arabic dialects in the lexicon and grammar; alternation in usage between Modern Standard Arabic and the vernacular dialects; and variation tied to literary, religious, and political discourse. Readings will consist of Arabic texts taken from a variety of sources, including print and non-print media, political speeches and commentaries, and the language of literature. This course will be taught in Arabic. (ARBC 0302 or equivalent) 3 hrs. sem.
Fall 2013
ARBC 0500 - Arabic Independent Project ▲ ▹
Arabic Independent Project
(Approval Required)
Spring 2009, Fall 2009, Winter 2010, Spring 2010, Fall 2011, Spring 2012, Fall 2012, Spring 2013, Fall 2013, Spring 2014
ARBC 0700 - Senior Thesis Proposal ▲
ARBC 0701 - Senior Thesis ▹
INDE 0800 - Ind Scholar Thesis
INTD 0111 / ARBC 0111 - Diversity of Human Language
The Unity and Diversity of Human Language
In this course we will introduce the main issues in the study of linguistic diversity: how languages differ and how they are the same (language families, language contact, and language universals), diversity in geographical and social dialects, "language emergence" of pidgins and creoles, "language death" and endangered languages, linguistic history and language change, as well as the major theoretical approaches to the study of linguistic diversity. Linguistic data will be drawn from a wide variety of languages, and linguistic phenomena will relate primarily to aspects of word formation (morphology) and sentence structure (syntax). 3 hrs. lect/disc.
Spring 2009
LNGT 0101 / INTD 0112 - Introduction to Linguistics
Introduction to Linguistics
This is an introductory course in linguistics taught in English. The main topics will include the nature of human language as distinct from other communication systems; the subsystems of linguistic knowledge, i.e., sound patterns (phonology), word-formation (morphology), sentence structure (syntax), and meaning (semantics); language and the brain; language acquisition; language use in context; geographical and social dialects; and historical development of language and language change. (Formerly INTD 0112) 3 hrs. lect./disc.
Fall 2009, Fall 2011, Fall 2012
LNGT 0421 - Arabic Linguistic Variation ▲
Aspects of Arabic Linguistic Variation
In this course we will focus on aspects of Arabic linguistic variation across the Arab world. Topics will include: regional variation among major Arabic dialects in the lexicon and grammar; alternation in usage between Modern Standard Arabic and the vernacular dialects; and variation tied to literary, religious, and political discourse. Readings will consist of Arabic texts taken from a variety of sources, including print and non-print media, political speeches and commentaries, and the language of literature. This course will be taught in Arabic. (ARBC 0302 or equivalent) 3 hrs. sem.
Fall 2013