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Staff Writer

Foreign language classes offer diversity

Rakshak Adhikari


Troy students interested in learning foreign languages can take several courses offered by the Department of World Languages and Cultures. The department offers classes in Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Russian, Latin and Biblical Greek

The department also offers a minor in classics that serves students with a general interest in antiquity, as well as students in fields with important connections to the cultures of ancient Greece and Rome, such as history, languages, literature, philosophy, religion and the fine arts,said Peter Howard, the chair of the department.

For example, courses in Biblical Greek are offered to prepare students to read the New Testament in the original language.

According to Howard, the department has recently added three new Spanish courses and revised the requirements for the Spanish Major.

The new courses, which will be offered initially online, are medical Spanish, legal Spanish and professional Spanish.The department is also looking at the possibility of offering online Arabic courses next year.

Jenny White, a senior art and mathematics double major from Clarksville, Tennessee, said that she chose to take classes in Latin because the honors program required two semesters of a foreign language, and she had taken Latin in high school.

“There are tons of words in the English language that have Latin roots, so I thought it was a practical choice,” White added.

“As an English teacher to speakers of the Spanish language, I think being able to communicate with them in their own language will be mutually beneficial,” said Britani Manning, a senior Spanish major from Brantley, Alabama.

Manning said that the degree would be equally helpful if she wanted to teach Spanish to English speakers.

“The department and the instructors are incredibly organized, and I couldn’t imagine learning Spanish anywhere else,” Manning said. “They’re equally as friendly as they are professional, and they only want to see students succeed.

“It shows not only in their words, but also in their actions when they are teaching or advising.”

Starting this semester, the Department of Modern Languages at Troy is offering an introductory course of the Russian language.

“This is exciting because Troy University is making another step toward internalization of academic curricula,” said Ekaterina Kobeleva, lecturer of English and the instructor for the course.

According to her, the study of the Russian language is important because Russia is playing a more significant role in global politics and the economy, and Russian is also an important language for science and technology.

The study of Russian, therefore, can open exciting opportunities for students majoring in business, political science, history, computer programming and information technology.

“The Introduction to Russian course is not only a language class,” Kobeleva said. “This course introduces students to the world’s most fascinating culture – Russian theater, music, literature, traditions – andstudents who are taking RUS 101 will learn how to read, write and speak in Russian,”

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