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IAP 2010 Activities by Category

Foreign Languages

Hebrew Literacy Marathon
Rabbi Sam Seicol
Mon Jan 25, Thu Jan 28, 05-09:00pm, 1-134

Enrollment limited: advance sign up required (see contact below)
Limited to 15 participants.
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)
Fee: 5.00 for Reg fee

If you don't know even a letter of the Hebrew alphabet, this class is for you. Be part of an eight hour Hebrew learning marathon. You will learn the
aleph-bet and vowel signs of Hebrew, be able to read in Hebrew, be exposed to many basic words and grammar of Hebrew. No background required. Register and pay reg fee of $5. Enrollment is limited to the first 15 to register and pay the fee.
Web: http://Web: http://www.mit.edu/hillel/www/iap-events.html
Contact: Rabbi Sam Seicol, W11-040, (617) 253-2982, rabbisam@mit.edu
Sponsor: Hillel

Hebrew Reading/Writing/Speaking Crash Course
Mish Madsen
Mon, Wed, Jan 6, 11, 13, 20, 25, 27, 12-01:00pm, 2-136

Enrollment limited: advance sign up required (see contact below)
Limited to 15 participants.
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)
Fee: 5.00 for Study Materials

We'll quickly cover the alphabet and vowels (no experience necessary) and then move on to modern Israeli Hebrew, focusing on gaining a solid overall grasp of the language and general conversation structure. There will be some written homework assigned each class to prepare you for extensive speaking and listening practice in class. You will complete the course with a solid understanding of basic grammar and vocabulary of modern Hebrew. (Students with knowledge of the aleph-bet may start a few classes late; please contact instructor for details.)
Contact: Eliad Shmuel, W11-040, x3-2982, eliad@mit.edu
Sponsor: Hillel

Introduction to Japanese
Cathy Zhang
Tue Jan 19, Thu Jan 21, 05-07:00pm, 4-370

No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)
Prereq: Interest in the Japanese language

Come and take a drink from the firehose in this foundational Japanese language class -- you'll get thoroughly drenched from head to toe in enough Japanese that learning more through further self-study will be made much simpler (if you've ever tried studying a language on your own, you know how difficult independent study can be). We'll cover the writing system, basic vocabulary, and grammar, jam-packed into these two sessions, so be prepared for fast-paced fun!
Contact: Cathy Zhang, zhangc@mit.edu
Sponsor: Cathy R Zhang, SIMMONS HALL # 577, 617 452-3114, zhangc@mit.edu

Koine: Introducing the Greek of the Septuagint
Craig Abernethy
Tue Jan 5, 05:30-07:00pm, Room 4-265, Alphabet, present active verbs
Thu Jan 7, 05:30-07:00pm, Room 4-265, 2nd declens'n nouns, -mi verbs
Tue Jan 12, 05:30-07:00pm, Room 4-265, 1st declension nouns
Thu Jan 14, 05:30-07:00pm, Room 4-265, Imperfect active verbs
Tue Jan 19, 05:30-07:00pm, Room 4-265, Aorist active verbs in sigma
Thu Jan 21, 05:30-07:00pm, Room 4-265, 3rd declens'n nouns, Bel story
Tue Jan 26, 05:30-07:00pm, Room 4-265, Readings in LXX Jonah

No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)

Join us as we explore the grammar and vocabulary of the Greek of the Septuagint, LXX (from septuaginta, "seventy," the number of translators who, legend says, all came up with the exact same text), an ancient (2nd century BCE) translation of the Hebrew Bible into the Koine dialect. By the end of January, participants will be able to translate some of the text of Jonah from the Septuagint, as well as reading an adaptation of a very old (2nd century BCE) detective story, known as Bel. Everyone is welcome; not a religious activity. In December, the textbook for the activity will be available at the URL below. Please download the text and bring it to all sessions, beginning on January 5.
Web: http://web.mit.edu/baptist/Public/koine.pdf
Contact: Craig Abernethy, 66-460, x8-0431, cabernethy@mit.edu
Sponsor: Craig W Abernethy, 66-460, 617 258-0431, cabernethy@mit.edu

Language Conversation Exchange Website Launch Party
Jennifer Recklet
Thu Jan 28, 01-02:00pm, W20 - Coffeehouse

No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event

Celebrate the launch of the new Language Conversation Exchange website. Come have a piece of cake, check out the new site, and meet the coordinator and other participants in the Coffeehouse Lounge on the 3rd floor of the Student Center.

The MIT Language Conversation Exchange helps you find a conversation partner so you can practice a language you are learning with a native speaker. These informal partnerships can help new members of our community get acquainted with the MIT community, while their English-speaking conversation partners improve their proficiency in another language. Members find the informal nature and flexibility of the LCE an enjoyable way to share their culture and learn more about someone else's.
Web: http://web.mit.edu/lce
Contact: Jennifer Recklet, E23-323, x3-1614, reck@med.mit.edu
Sponsor: Jennifer A Recklet, E23-323, 617 253-1614, reck@med.mit.edu

Learn Asian!
Cathy Zhang
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Participants welcome at individual sessions (series)
Prereq: Interest in Chinese/Japanese/Korean

Have you ever wondered... What is the difference between all those Asian languages? How people read those bizarre squiggles? Why actors talk so much while subtitles say so little?

Come find out! This class will cover three East Asian languages: Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. I will provide a basic background in each and teach what no other C/J/K class offers: a cross-linguistic analysis comparing and contrasting them in topics ranging from politeness-hierarchies to pronunciation.

Note: Each session will probably last no more than 90 minutes; extra time will be used for Q&A.
Web: http://web.mit.edu/zhangc/www/learn_asian/
Contact: Cathy Zhang, zhangc@mit.edu
Sponsor: Cathy R Zhang, SIMMONS HALL # 577, 617 452-3114, zhangc@mit.edu


Cathy Zhang
This first session will start us off with a study of Chinese characters, because they are used in Chinese, Japanese, and Korean, at least at some point in their histories. We will examine how Chinese characters have evolved as they have moved through time and between languages, their basic structure, and how they have affected various aspects of the three languages.
Mon Jan 11, 07-09:00pm, 32-124


Cathy Zhang
Having covered the Chinese writing system, we will move on to the other part of the Japanese writing system: kana. After learning all you ever wanted to know about kana (helpful memorization hints, usage, and a small introduction to the Japanese lexicon), we will continue on to pronunciation and grammar across the languages.
Mon Jan 18, 07-09:00pm, 32-124


Cathy Zhang
Our last session will kick off with the Korean writing system, continue on to commonly useful expressions in the three languages (you'll be able to see how the expressions compare and contrast and how that falls in line with what you've learned about them up to this point), and conclude with some exercises and fun examples (read: movie clips!) in translation.
Mon Jan 25, 07-09:00pm, 32-124


MIT  
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Comments and questions to: iap-www@mit.edu Academic Resource Center, Room 7-104, 617-253-1668
Last update: 19 August 2010