Postgraduate Course: Swahili 1A (AFRI11001)
Course Outline
School | School of Social and Political Science |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
Course type | Standard |
Availability | Available to all students |
Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Credits | 20 |
Home subject area | Postgrad (School of Social and Political Studies) |
Other subject area | None |
Course website |
None |
Taught in Gaelic? | No |
Course description | Swahili 1A provides a contemporary, interactive, stimulating and effective introduction to the Swahili language, which is the most international and widely-spoken of all the indigenous languages on the African continent. This course is based on a newly-designed curriculum and an innovative approach to learning that seeks to link the language to 21st century East African themes, such as music, literature, social media and the environment.
By the end of the course, students will be comfortable interacting in Swahili in everyday situations and will have a solid understanding of around 400 items of vocabulary, the key tenses and majority of the noun class system. Completion of the Swahili 1A will qualify students to continue onto Swahili 1B if they wish to do so, where they will have the opportunity to obtain an intermediate level.
Learning Swahili could be considered a crucial step for anyone seeking to travel to East Africa for research, work or travel, as even a rudimentary knowledge of the language will enable you to engage positively with those from the region, better understand your environment and acquire a more grassroots perspective on local and global issues. What¿s more, Swahili can provide a more general insight into the links between language, culture and history and a linguistic basis from which to explore other Bantu languages, such as Kinyarwanda (Rwanda), Zulu (South Africa), Xhosa (South Africa), Lingala (DRC), Kirundi (Burundi), Shona (Zimbabwe) and Bemba (Zambia), all of which share similar grammatical and lexical features. |
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Additional Costs | None |
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisites | No previous knowledge of Swahili language is required for entry to the course. There are no co-requisites or prohibited combinations.
Auditing is not permitted under any circumstances |
Displayed in Visiting Students Prospectus? | No |
Course Delivery Information
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Delivery period: 2014/15 Semester 1, Available to all students (SV1)
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Learn enabled: Yes |
Quota: None |
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Web Timetable |
Web Timetable |
Class Delivery Information |
The course will be delivered through a series of lectures and tutorials, which will ensure that all students are familiar with the vocabulary and grammar introduced weekly. These sessions will contain a variety of exercises, reading materials and recordings, as well as ample opportunities for practice and discussion.
Students are also provided with a weekly conversation class, which will allow students to interact with native speakers of the language in an informal setting. These sessions will be held over tea, coffee and maandazi and will focus on a theme set at the start of the week. Edinburgh boasts only a small East African community, meaning that these lessons should be considered crucial in gaining speaking and listening practice and understanding socio-linguistic norms. |
Course Start Date |
15/09/2014 |
Breakdown of Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 20,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 10,
Summative Assessment Hours 5,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
161 )
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Additional Notes |
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Breakdown of Assessment Methods (Further Info) |
Written Exam
40 %,
Coursework
30 %,
Practical Exam
30 %
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No Exam Information |
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
Swahili 1A aims to provide students with a strong grounding in the basic concepts of Swahili grammar, around 400 items of vocabulary and an introductory in insight into both traditional and contemporary elements of East African culture and society. The course also aims to be challenging, stimulating and interactive, providing students with ample opportunity for practice in speaking, reading, writing and listening. At the end of the course, students will be equipped with a working knowledge of everyday Swahili to aid travel and research in East Africa, and those who wish to improve further will be able to progress onto Swahili 1B. |
Assessment Information
Assessment
Written Exam:
40% 2-hour written examination
Practical Exam:
15% 1-hour listening examination
15% 10-minute oral examination
Coursework:
30% continuous bi-weekly examinations
Examinations will be conducted in weeks 3, 5, 7 & 9. Only the best 3 results will be counted. These tests will cover a combination of listening, reading and writing skills. The themes covered in each exam will be as follows:
- Week 3: vocabulary and grammar from weeks 1 & 2
- Week 5: vocabulary and grammar from weeks 3 & 4
- Week 7: vocabulary and grammar from weeks 5 & 6
- Week 9: vocabulary and grammar from weeks 7 & 8
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Special Arrangements
None |
Additional Information
Academic description |
Not entered |
Syllabus |
GRAMMAR
WEEK 1 Personal and possesive pronouns
Introduction to the Swahili verb
WEEK 2 Swahili verb formation: present, past and future
To have & to be
Basic question words
WEEK 3 Negating Swahili verbs in the present, past and future
Locative and temporal question words
Week 4 Verb review
Question forming
Week 5 Introduction to Swahili noun classes and Adjectives & object markers (basics)
Nouns of class 1 & 2
Week 6 Agreement system (classes 1-11)
The perfect tense
Nouns of class 3 & 4
Week 7 More complex agreements in classes 1-11
The -ka- tense
Nouns of class 5 & 6
Week 8 Possessives
The habitual tense
Nouns of class 7 & 8
Week 9 Demonstratives and Locatives
The reciprocal tense
Week 10 The passive tense
Nouns of class 9 & 10
Week 11 Noun class and tense review
THEMES
Week 1 The importance of Swahili greetings
Introductions
Family members
Week 2 Food and drinks
Shopping & markets
Week 3 Where are you going and when?
Likes and dislikes
Time phrases
Week 4 Places, dates, directions
East African transport
Buying a sim card in East Africa
Week 5 Your family
Describe what you see
People & professions
Week 6 Mount Kilimanjaro Tree Planting Project
Swahili students from around the world (sharing experiences)
Week 7 BAKITA
Swahili Poetry
Meet Haji Gora Haji
Week 8 Going to the barbers (kinyozi)
Forms of media in East Africa
Meet Ally Salleh
Vitendawili (Swahili riddles)
Week 9 Arranging meetings & Swahili time
Phone conversations
Using maps
Week 10 East African festivals
Traditional and modern East African music
Bi Kidude
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Transferable skills |
Not entered |
Reading list |
Wilson, Peter. 1985. Simplified Swahili. London: Longman.
TUKI. English-Swahili Dictionary / Kamusi ya Kiingereza-Kiswahili. Dar es Salaam: Institute of Kiswahili Research / Taasisi ya Uchunguzi wa Kiswahili
TUKI is now known as 'TATAKI'. The latest reprint is 2013, but earlier editions are fine. The main library has a number of these.
TUKI. Kamusi ya Kiswahili-Kiingereza / Swahili-English Dictionary. Dar es Salaam: Institute of Kiswahili Research / Taasisi ya Uchunguzi wa Kiswahili. The main library also has a number of these.
An alternative dictionary that is adequate for the course (and easier to get hold of than the TUKI editions) is the two-way (i.e., Swahili-English English-Swahili) Hippocrene Swahili Practical Dictionary. New York: Hippocrene. ISBN 0781804809.
While the main library holds Simplified Swahili and the TUKI publications, students may find it practical to purchase their own copies.
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Study Abroad |
Not entered |
Study Pattern |
Not entered |
Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
Course organiser | Dr Thomas Molony
Tel: (0131 6)50 6976
Email: Thomas.Molony@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mr Fraser Maxwell
Tel: (0131 6)51 5066
Email: Fraser.Maxwell@ed.ac.uk |
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© Copyright 2014 The University of Edinburgh - 29 August 2014 3:18 am
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