Course Catalogue

Filipino I (Tagalog) A

Course Number: 57-336
Vincent Wongaiham-Petersen
Thursday, 14:00–16:00 h, ESA-1, room 217

The history of the Philippines under Spanish and American colonial rule has made it a unique place in Southeast Asia. Both have had a lasting impact not only on Filipino culture, but also on the national language. Filipino, which is based mainly on Tagalog, is thus a wonderful and colorful blend of all these influences.

Listening to Filipino as it is spoken colloquially, one would immediately hear the abundance of Spanish and English loan words. This leaves the casual listener with the perception that Filipino would be easy to master. This is, however, misleadingly deceptive because the underlying structure on which all of this is constructed and cohesively held is still the intricate Tagalog language with its complex grammar and sophisticated verb system.

It is worth noting that the United States Foreign Language Institute categorizes Tagalog as a Category III language, placing it in the company of languages known for their varying degrees of difficulty for English speakers to acquire. This classification aligns Tagalog with languages such as Russian, Thai, Laotian, and Vietnamese, indicating the level of dedication and perseverance required to master its complexities.

Although the use of the Latin alphabet simplifies the learning process for those familiar with English or German, delving deeper into the linguistic intricacies of Filipino reveals a fascinating yet formidable journey for language learners. Despite these challenges, learning Filipino is a rewarding endeavor that unveils a rich tapestry of cultural heritage and a profound connection to the country's history.

This beginner Filipino (Tagalog) course is open throughout the university to students of various disciplines. Participants must have at least a B1 level in German, as the learning materials will be in German.

In "Filipino I", we will cover simple conversations and the basics of specific grammatical aspects, such as simple sentence structures, ANG and NG forms, verb focus and aspect, and initial verb forms with actor focus. We will also learn to formulate short personal introductions and to use the vocabulary we have learned to speak about ourselves, whether as students or professionals.

In addition to the language course, we will dedicate several classes to acquiring intercultural competence in dealing with Filipino culture. Additionally, as part of the course, we will show two to three films that provide a glimpse into the socio-cultural aspects of Philippine society. You will then be asked to write a reflective essay on the content and message of the films.

The seminar/workshop "Intercultural Competence: The Philippines and Filipino Culture" will be held separately from the language component of the "Filipino I" course and will take place on Tuesday, November 12, 2024. It will cover various aspects of Filipino culture that are particularly distinctive and will examine certain elements that differ significantly from what is expected in German culture. Since this event includes workshop elements, participants are expected to actively engage in discussions and activities. This event is a prerequisite for those who wish to earn credits in "Filipino I".

If you have any questions, please contact the instructor directly.(vincent"AT"lingolese.de)

You can register for this course directly on STiNE.

Marami pong salamat!

Contact:

• Vincent Wongaiham-Petersen:
      vincent"AT"lingolese.de

Filipino III (Tagalog) A

Course Number: 57-338
Vincent Wongaiham-Petersen
Thursday, 10:00–12:00 h, ESA-1, room 217

This pre-intermediate course in Filipino (Tagalog) is open throughout the university to students of various disciplines. Participants must have at least a B1 level in German, as the learning materials will be in German.

In the "Filipino III" course, we will delve more deeply into the various aspects of the Filipino language and culture. We will deal with more complex sentence structures and learn additional grammatical concepts. In addition, we will further develop our language skills in everyday situations and learn to navigate simple Tagalog communication. Throughout the course, we will explore object-focus verb forms and further expand our vocabulary.

As in the previous course, there will be two to three films that provide a glimpse into the socio-cultural aspects of Philippine society. You will then be asked to write brief reflections on the content and message of the films.

Please note: This course builds on the skills taught in "Filipino I" and "Filipino II", and it is essential that students have a command of the fundamentals covered in those.

You can register for this course directly on STiNE.

Marami pong salamat!

Contact:

• Vincent Wongaiham-Petersen:
      vincent"AT"lingolese.de

"Pilipino Ako, Ito Ang Aking Lahi" – (Original Acrylic Painting: Reuben Laurente)

Exploring the Tapestry of Contemporary Filipino – Part A

Cours Number: 57-340
Vincent Wongaiham-Petersen
Thursday, 12:00 – 14:00 h, ESA-1, room 217

This intermediate course in Filipino (Tagalog) is open throughout the university to students of various disciplines. Participants must have at least B1 level in German, as the materials will be explained and discussed in both German and Filipino.

This course is aimed at students who have completed at least the pre-intermediate course "Filipino III" or higher and wish to focus on practical application as well as deepen their understanding of modern Filipino.

Students will be encouraged to actively engage with the language and explore aspects of modern Filipino that interest them. By analyzing linguistic nuances, expanding their vocabulary, and understanding idiomatic expressions and cultural references, students will gain a nuanced appreciation of Filipino.

You can register for this course directly on STiNE.

Marami pong salamat!

Contact:

• Vincent Wongaiham-Petersen:
      vincent"AT"lingolese.de

Photo: Jan van der Putten, cropped

Introduction to Khmer (Khmer 1) – the Language of Cambodia

Course Number: 57-332
Savuth Prum
Monday, 16:00 – 19:00 h, ESA-Ost ("East Wing"), room O-233

The Kingdom of Cambodia is a Southeast Asian country bordered by Thailand, Vietnam and Laos – and bounded by a coastline to the south. The country, with a total area of 181,035 km², is divided into 24 provinces and one special administrative region, namely the country's capital, Phnom Penh. Cambodia is therefore about half the size of Germany or a little more than twice the size of Austria.

Cambodia's official language is Khmer – also known as Cambodian – and belongs to the Austroasiatic language family. It was influenced by Sanskrit and Pali through Hinduism and Buddhism and is spoken by 17–20 million Cambodians inside and outside of Cambodia. Unlike the neighboring countries' languages – Thai, Lao and Vietnamese – Khmer is not a tonal language.

Khmer is an analytical and isolating language. This means that no inflections, conjugations or case endings are used. The script consists of 33 consonants, 24 vowels and 14 initial vowels.

The grammar of the Khmer language is simple. The verbs remain unchanged, whether singular or plural. The subject-verb-object word-order applies. Also tenses – that is past, present and future – are expressed by adverbs and other time indications.

Graphics: S. Pech and S. Prum

Through this seminar you will acquire the most important fundamentals of the Khmer language and will be able to understand and use familiar, everyday expressions and very basic phrases.

If you want to study this language and learn more about this country, you can register for the Khmer course "Introduction to Khmer (Khmer 1)". This Khmer course for beginners in winter semester 2024/25 is open to all students. Registration for this course number 57-332 is possible on STiNE.

If you have any problems with the registration, please contact Mr. Prum(Savuth.Prum"AT"uni-hamburg.de), who will be happy to help you unbureaucratically! More information about this and other courses can be found in our current course catalog (see box on top of this webpage), and you might also be interested in last year's "Khmer 1"-flyer on exactly the same course.

Contact:

• Prof. Dr. Volker Grabowsky:
      Volker.Grabowsky"AT"uni-hamburg.de
• Savuth Prum:
      Savuth.Prum"AT"uni-hamburg.de

Gender and Land – The transformation of gender relations in Asia-Pacific and its impact on women's living and working conditions

Course number: 57-314
Marion Struck-Garbe
Friday, 10–14 h, ESA-O, room O-222

Please note: This course already ends on 21.12.2024!

Based on evolved socio-political structures in gender relations in Asia-Pacific, we examine the effects these have on coexistence and access to resources and to what extent and in what direction gender transformations influence and change women's roles and rights or how gender issues are reshaped by changing social and economic conditions. 

Gender transformation "refers to efforts to change gender and social norms in order to eliminate inequalities of power and privilege between people of different genders and to free all people from harmful and destructive norms. These norms include gender roles, expectations, stereotypes and harmful attitudes, customs and practices, including gender-based violence" (MenEngage Alliance, 2017). 

Land is very important in Asia-Pacific and the Global South in general. Because subsistence farming continues to be the basis of food security for many people there and is predominantly practised by women, changes in gender relations can also be seen in these areas. Women still have few rights and no control over the land and therefore have a low social and political status and are often exposed to domestic violence. Changes in their status sometimes have a negative impact on them, at least initially. 

In principle, gender transformations are seen as positive, but this is not always the case. Cases are also analysed in which this has a negative impact on women.

Keywords:

Land rights, domestic violence, food security, migration, climate change, land grabbing, environment

Learning objectives:

• Knowledge of the country, including its specific cultural history, with reference to gender relations and current environmental problems.

• Describe and analyse gender-specific discrimination or injustice in Asia-Pacific.

• How are the issues interconnected?

• What changes in gender relations are necessary to improve the situation between the sexes and thus the overall social situation?

You can register for this course number 57-314 directly on STiNE.

Contact:

• Marion Struck-Garbe:
      marion.struck-garbe"AT"hamburg.de