Amrit K. Gahunia

agahunia@sas.upenn.edu
agahunia@hotmail.com

Title:  Lecturer

COURSE:

Panjabi language also spelled Punjabi, means language of the land of five rivers.  Panjabi is the official language of the state of Punjab in northwestern India and is spoken in various parts of Pakistan.  In addition, it is the language of the holy scriptures of the Sikhs.   Panjabi is written in two different scripts called Gurmukhi and Shahmukhi.   Gurmukhi is primarily used in the eastern Punjab region of India, while Shahmukhi is used in the western Punjab of Pakistan.  Gurmukhi was created by Guru Angad Dev in the 16th century.  Gurmukhi is a simplified script that contains ten vowels and thirty five consonants.  The script is written just as the language is spoken, thus making learning to read and write much easier.  Panjabi is a lively, powerful language which reflects the history and rich cultural and literary tradition of the land.

COURSE DESCRIPTION/OBJECTIVES:

Beginning Panjabi - SAST   404 - 680  

This course emphasizes speaking and reading skills in Panjabi. Upon completion of this course students should be able to interact meaningfully and in a socially acceptable manner with the natives in a variety of simple situations involving everyday conversational topics. Further, students should be able to read and understand the main idea and most details of simple connected texts. This course will utilize authentic printed, audio and video materials as input and will provide opportunities to students for natural
communication both within and outside the classroom.

Intermediate Panjabi –  SAST  424 - 680

This course is designed as a continuation of Beginning Panjabi, but also can be taken by anyone who can demonstrate a similar level of proficiency of the language. The course objectives are to expand the mastery of sentence patterns and augment vocabulary and its usage through intensive grammar review and comprehension exercises. A special emphasis will also be placed on greater cultural awareness. Upon completion of this course students should be able to interact socially with added confidence and greater expressiveness. Students should also experience a great improvement in their comprehension of the spoken and written language.

Advanced Panjabi   -  SAST  434- 680

This course is designed to meet the very specific needs of the students. 

Advanced Punjabi will focus on readings in modern Punjabi fiction, drama and critical essays.  Advanced Punjabi aims at systematically introducing students to the higher level linguistic functions through the use of contemporary texts. 

 
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