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Turkish Courses

TURKISH LANGUAGE AND CULTURE


WINTER QUARTER 2024


NEW TURKISH LANGUAGE COURSE

Who needs subtitles when you can speak the language of global entertainment?


TURKISH 111-1
ELEMENTARY TURKISH THROUGH TV SHOWS

This course is for students who want to start their language learning journey in the winter.

TV shows reach 750 million people across 152 countries. Turkey is second only to the US in worldwide TV distribution, with huge audiences in Russia, China, Korea, Middle East, and Latin America. Turkish is becoming the language of global entertainment. Join other students this winter for a unique introduction to modern Turkish language and culture through highly interactive TV shows. Immerse yourself in the personal stories of the characters and everyday realities of life in Istanbul while learning a critical language spoken by 85 million people around the world. (Turkish 111-2 will be offered in Spring 2024 and Turkish 111-3 in Fall 2024)

NEW TURKISH CULTURE COURSE

Turkish Food CourseMENA 290-6-1
FOODWAYS OF TURKEY: A MULTI-ETHNIC LOOK AT FOOD, CULTURE AND IDENTITY

In this course students will explore the complex relationships between food, culture and society through the lens of Turkish food from the Middle Ages to the present. Using an array of primary and secondary sources from history, anthropology, literature, film and media, we will situate culinary practices and their use in constructing and expressing cultural, regional and national identities within the social, historical and political context of Turkey and the wider Middle East. We will study the consumption of and attitudes toward specific foodstuffs, gauging the relevance of items like coffee in the pre-modern world and baklava in modern politics. We will investigate the role of minorities and immigrants in shaping culinary practices in and outside of Turkey; the effects of climate change on food production and scarcity; the role of globalization on national cuisine; and representations of Turkish food culture in world literature and film. The course is taught in English.

 


OUR TURKISH LANGUAGE PROGRAM

 TURKISH 111-1/2/3 Elementary Turkish Through TV Shows

Course Description: This three-quarter sequence is a unique introduction to modern Turkish language and culture through highly interactive TV shows. Students immerse themselves in the personal stories of the TV characters and learn about everyday realities of life in Istanbul. The highly interactive TV story lines offer ample opportunities to listen to and practice pronunciation,  internalize introductions, polite phrases and basic vocabulary, as well as learn about verb tenses and moods for more complicated language tasks. By the end of the third quarter students will be able to use all common grammatical structures and engage comfortably with other Turkish speakers on a variety of everyday topics. The class uses a communicative approach, meaning that group work and language production are emphasized in class.  Turkish is used in class whenever possible, and by the third quarter becomes the primary language of instruction.

Prerequisites: Students must successfully complete the sequence in order, or have the permission of the instructor.


TURKISH 121-1/2/3 Intermediate Turkish

Course Description: The intermediate three-quarter sequence will continue to use highly interactive TV shows as appropriate material for language development and listening comprehension. In addition, a variety of authentic written and audio-visual materials, including newspapers, short stories, poems, films, and radio broadcasts will be added to broaden the exposure to modern Turkish. The third-quarter, the cap-stone course for the language requirement, will focus exclusively on the history and culture of Istanbul. The students will continue to acquire new vocabulary and phrases as well as more advanced grammar points.  Speaking and writing will be emphasized. By the end of the sequence,  students will be comfortable producing language in a variety of registers and modes on familiar topics.

Prerequisites: Students must successfully complete the sequence in order, or have the permission of the instructor.


Be sure to look through our Instagram for a glimpse into our dynamic Program -- @nuturkishprogram/.
For more information, contact oya.topcuoglu@northwestern.edu