| TEXTS: | Uriel Weinreich, College Yiddish. Uriel Weinreich, Modern English-Yiddish, Yiddish-English Dictionary. Eleanor G. Mlotek, ed., Mir Trogn a Gezang. David Goldberg, Yidish af yidish (Yale, 1996) |
COURSE DESCRIPTION AND REQUIREMENTS:
This course aims to develop your skills in reading, writing, speaking, and understanding Yiddish. Our task this term is to conclude Weinreich's College Yiddish, and begin the brand new Intermediate/ Advanced level textbook by David Goldberg, Yidish af yidish. We will continue with Yidish af yidish in the second semester. Supplementary readings will come from an out-of-print anthology by Chava Turniansky, Fun unzer yidisher literatur, which I will photocopy selectively, and from Mlotek's collection of songs, Mir trogn a gezang. We will also dip into Yiddish journalism, some devotional texts, etc., which I will provide. Weinreich's English-Yiddish, Yiddish-English Dictionary, is a classic work essential for reading "real" Yiddish books.
Of course, I don't need to tell you that your attendance and participation in class are essential to the learning process, as is your faithful fulfillment of the written homework assignments (di heymarbet). Homework will be due in class on the dates specified below. We will have periodic quizzes and oral presentations. You will also have a midterm and a final exam. Grades will be based on all of the above.
SCHEDULE: (subject to modification as reality encroaches upon the ideal) (We may also change the time and place of meeting.)
| 9/5 | Introduction. Weinreich, Lesson 20 (grammar review) |
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| 9/10 | Read: | Weinreich, Lesson 21 |
| Write: | 1 paragraph -- your choice of topic. | |
| 9/12 | Read: | Weinreich, Lesson 21 (grammar) Sholem Aleichem, "Der oytser" (Weinreich 287-8). |
| Write: | Lesson 21, Exercises A, B, C (odd numbers) | |
| 9/17 | Read: | Weinreich, Lesson 22 |
| Write: | 1 paragraph, using the vocabulary. | |
| 9/19 | Read: | Mendele Moykhr-Sforim, "A tog in elul" (Weinreich 288) |
| Write: | Lesson 22, Exercises A, B (odd numbers), F. | |
| 9/24 | Read: | Weinreich, Lesson 23 |
| Write: | 1 paragraph, using the vocabulary. | |
| 9/26 | Read: | Weinreich, Lesson 23, grammar |
| Write: | Lesson 23, Exercises B and D | |
| 10/1 | Read: | Weinreich, Lesson 24 (review lesson) |
| Write: | Lesson 24, Exercises F and J. | |
| 10/3 | Read: | Brief essays on Yiddish culture (in English), at end of each lesson (21-26) in Weinreich (on Peretz, the Jewish calendar, Jewish family names, Yiddish folksongs, attitude words and forms). |