Instructor: Rao Vemuri, Department of Applied Science, College of Engineering
Description: Why Learn Telugu and its Culture? (a) Because it’s fun. (b) It is good for your health! Learning a foreign language will exercise those portions of the brain that have not been used since you first learned your first language as a mother tongue. There is anecdotal evidence that this exercise is all that is needed to prevent the buildup of plaque that may lead to Alzheimer’s! (c) There is another medical reason. Learning a phonetic language (English is not) is one way to overcome dyslexic tendencies so prevalent in English-speaking people. (d) There are more reasons. In this age of globalization, you can win the hearts and souls of customers and business associates even if you can utter a few words in their language. (e) I also noticed that many students from SE Asia have an inherent interest in learning more about Indian culture as their own (all SE Asian countries, except Vietnam) languages contain many Sanskrit words and their own culture was heavily influenced by Hinduism. What you learn is not just a language; you learn about the culture of a people, their literature and their values. If you end up reading (and talking) in that language, it is only a bonus. You will also learn the rudiments of comparative phonetics, linguistics and grammar. The language I propose that you learn is Telugu, a south Indian language spoken by well over 70 million people. Along with Telugu, you will learn the rudiments of Sanskrit and Hindi. Along with the language, you will be exposed to its rich literary contributions as well as the literary wealth of India.
Format: Written notes will be distributed in the class. Audiofiles will be placed on the class web site. Videotapes of segments of movies or a musical concert will be screened if the classroom has AV facilities. Grading: As learning a language is primarily an oral process, in-class participation is essential. Every student is expected to participate in the classroom exercises involving speaking and writing (70%). Homework (30%) involves a minimum of one hour a week of written exercises and they are primarily aimed at learning the script.
About the Instructor: Prof. Rao Vemuri is a native speaker of Telugu. He has a working knowledge of Hindi and Sanskrit and a smattering of exposure to Spanish and Russian for a comparative presentation. He published many essays on the structure of Telugu language, its grammar, its script and its suitability (and deficiencies) in expressing modern scientific thought. He is an active participant in the movement to develop Telugu-based computer interfaces. Prof Vemuri recently compiled, "English-Telugu and Telugu-English Dictionary and Thesaurus." It is published in 2002 by Asian Educational Services, New Delhi, India. He is now giving finishing touches to Learn Telugu and its Grammar, which is aimed at people whose first language is English. You will get portions of this manuscript as a handout. Prof. Vemuri is also the author of six Telugu books (all written to popularize science) and well over 30 short stories (mostly, science]based fiction).