LECTURES                                      Slovensko 

 

It is not just the years of tradition but also the ever greater experience of both organisers and participants that ensure the high quality of the Seminar of the Slovene Language, Literature and Culture – this year the 46^th in a row – resulting in great interest in this central summer Slovene Studies event. Once more we shall do our best, in spite of the prevailing crisis, to maintain the same high quality in the teaching of our language and in acquainting participants with our country, its literature and culture.

 

Every year more than 20 highly regarded lecturers from various fields and approximately 15 language teachers with abundant educational experience and specialist knowledge carry out the seminar events. Each year, through the knowledge they bring with them, the expectations they express and their personal commitment, the participants bring to the activities that are offered a different dynamic, thus helping to shape the atmosphere of the whole event.

 

The main theme of this year’s seminar is Slavism in Slovene Language, Literature and Culture. After two decades of constantly looking to the West and, until recently, to what is mostly non-Slavic Europe, it seems that meanwhile past views on all that is Slavic have become more focused and new views have emerged. Why? Simply because Slavism determines us genetically: mostly with regard to language, to a great extent with regard to culture and, within the more recent past, also with regard to politics. We will reflect on what, in addition to the still relative closeness of languages, connects Slavic nations and what divides them and why; what is it that perhaps still determines the Slavs as a community (although administratively and politically fragmented) as opposed to non-Slavs; what positive and what negative aspects were introduced by occasional calls for the unification of all Slavic nations; in what way have Slavs made a mark on the world in terms of art based on language and expression, and in linguistics; and last but not least, what place do Slovenes and Slovene Studies occupy in all this and what is their role? To this broad content will be added some interesting topical research by both established and young Slovene researchers and it will be a special pleasure to invite foreign Slovene Studies experts to present their research. Together we shall reveal the reality of the “Slavic soul” or at least attempt to return to it its proverbial gentleness.

 

In addition to linguists and literary historians, ethnologists, historians, sociologists, psychologists, archaeologists, architects, musicians and other experts will be invited to give lectures, thus throwing light on the main theme from different angles: Slavism defines us linguistically, but how much does it guide us in literature, culture and other areas of personal and social life?

 

Prof. Dr. Vera Smole

President of the 46^th Seminar

The seminar is organised by the Centre for Slovene as a Second/Foreign Language at the Department of Slovene Studies, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana, Kongresni trg 12, SI-1000 Ljubljana.

The seminar participants are foreign Slovene Studies and Slavic Studies specialists, writers, EU and other translators, experts in comparative linguistics and literature, and others who research or teach Slovene, translate, or include Slovene in any other way in their life and work: teachers, researchers and students of Slovene and Slavic Studies at universities and research institutes abroad and in ethnic Slovene areas, etc. They attend the seminar with the desire to deepen and enrich their knowledge, to learn about the latest findings and to have genuine contact with the Slovene language, literature and culture.

The morning programme takes place entirely at the Faculty of Arts, the University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 2, Ljubljana, while the afternoon and evening programme is organised at different locations in Ljubljana.

The lecturers, language teachers and other teaching staff at the seminar are established experts and researchers from the Department of Slovene Studies, the Department of Slavic Studies, other departments of the Faculty of Arts, other faculties of the University of Ljubljana, or other Slovene universities and leading research and national institutions and eminent experts and academics from abroad.

 

Beginners are invited to take part in a preliminary week immediately preceding the 2-week seminar. In this period the emphasis is on intensive practical classes in small groups with experienced teachers and on phonetics classes in the language laboratory. During this week there are also some afternoon/evening activities, e.g. an afternoon excursion, the showing of a Slovene film, visits to museums or a creative workshop.

 

The two-week seminar features a busy morning programme of practical classes, lectures, round table discussions or creative workshops, special courses, phonetics classes and conversation classes, and is accompanied by a rich afternoon and evening programme.

These classes comprise 30 hours in the 2-week seminar and 60 hours in the 3-week seminar. Classes are organised in 4 beginners’ groups, 6 intermediate and 3 advanced groups. According to their interests, participants can choose among linguistic, literary-historical and general groups. Individual participants are assigned to an appropriate group on the basis of a language test completed before arrival at the seminar, and oral testing carried out at the beginning of the 2-week/3-week seminar.

Lectures (approximately 20 hours), which are meant primarily for those at a more advanced level, present and discuss the latest ideas about Slovene linguistic, literary and cultural creative work. At the 46^th Seminar of Slovene Language, Literature and Culture they will focus on the overall theme of Slavism in Slovene Language, Literature and Culture. As always, the results will appear in the seminar proceedings.

Elective courses of 5 hours each take an in depth look at current issues relating to the Slovene standard language and literature, translation, Slovene culture and Slovene as a second/foreign language. Classes take the form of workshops. The lecturers’ contributions are published in the seminar proceedings. Participants in the intermediate and advanced groups must attend one of the courses. Alternatively, they may attend a series of afternoon lectures, known as the “parade of youth”, that offers an insight into the research and other activities of the youngest generation of Slovene specialists and researchers.

These classes are divided into two parts: (a) beginners classes are obligatory and start with an introductory presentation of the Slovene spoken language and its special phonetic features, using examples from texts. This is followed by practical exercises to improve pronunciation and listening skills necessary for more efficient learning and use of the language. The exercises are adjusted to the participants’ level of knowledge and to their mother tongue; (b) intermediate classes are optional and primarily intended for those who would like to improve their spoken Slovene. The work is organised in small groups and adapted to the individual.

These classes are aimed at improving communication skills, extending vocabulary, internalising communication patterns and eliminating errors. They will deal with themes taken primarily from everyday life, with an emphasis on practical communication and on extending acquaintance with Slovenia and its culture. The conversation classes are obligatory for beginner and lower intermediate groups.

During the seminar the participants will have an opportunity to engage in two hours of free conversation (i.e. no fee) with students from the Ljubljana Department of Slovene Studies. Such individual conversation provides genuine contact with native speakers. Candidates for individual conversation sessions can apply to the lector responsible for their group.

The seminar also offers a rich afternoon-evening programme, which includes themed guided tours of Ljubljana, the showing of a Slovene film, a theatre performance, visits to museums, galleries and libraries, musical and literary evenings, etc. This additional programme includes a whole-day study excursion, which will take place this year on Saturday, 10 July 2010.

The library of the Departments of Slovene/Slavic Studies keeps an open door for seminar participants. Throughout the duration of the seminar they can borrow books and turn for advice to the librarians. The library also prepares an exhibition every year, presenting recent professional literature, the best works of Slovene literature, and translations into foreign languages. The participants will visit the exhibition during their practical classes.

Participants have access to the Internet on all floors of the Faculty of Arts and also at the Ivan Cankar hostel (Dijaški dom Ivana Cankarja).

Accommodation is organised at the Ivan Cankar hostel, Poljanska cesta 26/B. The hostel is situated in pleasant surroundings below Ljubljana Castle, 10 minutes’ walk from the city centre. It is a 20 minute walk from the hostel to the Faculty of Arts through the old part of the town. Accommodation is in twin or single rooms (at additional charge), with bathrooms on every floor. A self-service breakfast is provided. More information is available on the website http://www.dic.si.

Participants of the 3-week seminar should arrive at the hostel on Sunday, 27 June 2010; the programme begins on Monday at 9 a.m., 28 June 2010 at the Faculty of Arts, Aškerčeva 2, Ljubljana.

 

Participants of the 2-week seminar should arrive at the hostel on Sunday, 4 July 2010; the programme begins according to the timetable on Monday at 8.15 a.m., 5 July 2010 at the Faculty of Arts.

 

The departure date is Saturday, 17 July 2010.

The Seminar of Slovene Language, Literature and Culture is a central event through which the Republic of Slovenia promotes Slovene language, literature and culture throughout the world, by granting financial support on the basis of international contracts and co-operation programmes for ethnic Slovene organisations and researchers who are professionally engaged in Slovene, and for students at foreign universities who study Slovene. In allocating these grants, priority is given to Slovene specialists, university teachers, research and teaching assistants, postgraduate students and students of higher classes.

 

Participants can apply for pocket-money (9 euros a day). Those entitled to apply are participants from countries with a lower purchasing power, specifically unemployed students who have received a grant based on international agreements and cooperation programmes.

 

In addition to these scholarships available abroad, some are also granted by the seminar committee (either for the professional and accompanying programmes, together with bed-and-breakfast accommodation, or for the professional and accompanying programmes only). Applications will be accepted up to 31 March 2010 at the seminar address. The seminar committee will decide on the scholarships in April. The number of scholarships varies each year, depending on the available funds.

Participants at the Seminar of Slovene Language, Literature and Culture receive a certificate of attendance if they take regular part in the obligatory section of the programme. The certificate states the group and the course attended. On request, an additional certificate can be issued, stating the exact number of hours of attendance.

 

The seminar will be credited under the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). Students who regularly attend courses as well as afternoon lectures or conversation classes and who pass the exam at the end of the seminar will receive for the three-week seminar 5 credit points (5 ECTS) and for the two-week seminar course 3 points (3 ECTS).

All participants are recommended to obtain a certificate of medical insurance in their own countries, otherwise they must pay the expenses of medical care and medication themselves.

The registration fee includes language classes, elective courses, conversation classes, phonetics exercises, one-to-one conversation, lectures, textbooks, the seminar proceedings, the accompanying programme and event organisation. Participants paying for themselves can book accommodation in the Ivan Cankar hostel. 

 

- fee:

- 2-week seminar: 550 EUR

- 3-week seminar: 660 EUR

 

- accommodation in a twin room in the Ivan Cankar hostel:

 

- accommodation in a single room in the Ivan Cankar hostel:

After we have received your registration form, we will send you the invoice by regular post or e-mail. You can pay the invoice at any bank or post office or at the cash desk of the Faculty of Arts, Aškerčeva 2, Ljubljana, from Monday to Friday between 11.00 a.m. and 1.00 p.m. on Wednesdays also between 3.00 p.m. and 5.00 p.m.

 

Please send your payment receipt no later than 20 June 2010. You can send it to our e-mail address, fax +386 (0)1 241 86 44 or to our postal address. Please bring along a copy of the receipt when you join the seminar in order to help clarify possible misunderstandings.

Those receiving grants are requested to complete by 25 April 2010 the registration form on our website at www.centerslo.net/seminar (46^th SSJLK, Registration Form) or to send it to us by regular post. We also request that by the same date you complete the language test and send it to us at [email protected] or by regular post.

 

The registration form for participants of the 46^th Seminar of Slovene Language, Literature and Culture paying the seminar fee and accommodation costs themselves should be sent by 31 May 2010. You can apply via the Internet at www.centerslo.net/seminar (46^th SSJLK, Registration Form) or using the registration form from this booklet.

 

- Submission of registration forms and language tests

   for grant recipients                                                           25 April 2010

 

- Notification of placement in two-week or three-week groups   15 May 2010

 

- Registration by those paying for themselves                         31 May 2010

 

- Payment by those paying for themselves                             20 June 2010

 

- Arrival at the seminar                                            27 June/4 July 2010

 

- Departure from the seminar                                                17 July 2010

Seminar president: Prof. Dr. Vera Smole

Head of the language teachers: Assist. Prof. Dr. Đurđa Strsoglavec

Seminar organisation: Mojca Nidorfer Šiškovič, M.A., Damjan Huber

Technical editor of seminar publications: Mateja Lutar

E-mail address: [email protected]