47th Seminar of Slovene Language, Literature and Culture

FAMILY IN SLOVENE LANGUAGE, LITERATURE AND CULTURE

Ljubljana, 27 June/4–15 July 2011

Over the years, the summer Seminar of Slovene Language, Literature and Culture – this year celebrating its 47^th anniversary – has become a tradition, and the experience of the organisers and participants has grown, while the addition of something new each year guarantees topicality, high quality and, consequently, great interest in this central Slovene Studies event. But because all good things can still be made better, we will strive once again for the highest possible level of language teaching and the best possible insight into Slovenia's literature and culture, and into Slovenia as a country. Within the framework of the time constraints and resources available and through interaction with the numerous participants, we shall try our best to satisfy their varied interests.

This year's seminar will involve around 15 eminent lecturers from different disciplines, a number of young researchers and about 15 language teachers with rich pedagogical experience and specialist knowledge. The atmosphere and dynamics of the whole event is shaped in at least equal measure by the participants, with their existing knowledge, effort, expressed expectations, personal commitment and cooperation, and their networking.

The overall theme of this year's seminar is Family in Slovene Language, Literature and Culture, in which the term 'family' is understood in a complex way – in the widest sense of interpersonal connection, socialising, and co-existence to the benefit of each individual and to the whole group, association or society. As a social being, man needs others from birth through to death. In Slovene, the lexeme družina (family), as the smallest social unit, places at the forefront the sociological rather than biological connections between the people within it, as the original meaning of the root word drug was fellow traveller or comrade – in other words, the one who accompanies, helps, protects. Within this usually close interconnectedness develop interpersonal relations of varying complexity, which are then transferred elsewhere, so that the family can be joined by animals, plants, languages, words, letters, computers and many other things. Our focus of interest this year will be on how, within Slovene language, literature and culture, are captured and expressed: first, relations within the narrower family, i.e. between partners and between parents and children, and more widely – relations between the sexes and the generations, and ways of referring to relations between relatives through history and in contemporary dialects; second, the condition of Slovene families of all types now and in the past, notable contributions by Slovene families in specific fields, such as music and sport, and their inclusion as a whole or at the individual level in various associations and societies; and, last but not least, surrounding language families and the appurtenance of Slovene to the Slavic family, so that we may perhaps get to know some interesting word families.

In addition to linguists and literary historians we shall also invite lecturers from other disciplines, so that together, in the very limited time available, they can best present the cohesive thread of this year's seminar – family, in the broadest sense of the word. The theme will also be illuminated by the accompanying programme of activities and events, and supplemented by the language teachers in their classes. We hope to see you at a seminar marked by camaraderie and sociability.

Prof. Dr. Vera Smole,

President of the 47^th Seminar

The organiser

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 participants

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 venue

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 and language teachers

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.

THE PROGRAMME

Three-week seminar (27 June–15 July 2011)

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.

Two-week seminar (4–15 July 2011)

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.

Practical classes

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

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 47^th Seminar of Slovene Language, Literature and Culture they will focus on the overall theme of Family in Slovene Language, Literature and Culture. As always, the results will appear in the seminar proceedings.

Special courses

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.

Phonetics classes

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.

Conversation classes

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.

Individual conversation

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 accompanying programme

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, 9 July 2011.

The library

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.

Internet access

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

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.

Arrivals/departures

Participants of the 3-week seminar should arrive at the hostel on Sunday, 26 June 2011; the programme begins on Monday at 9 a.m., 27 June 2011 at the Faculty of Arts, Aškerčeva 2, Ljubljana.

Participants of the 2-week seminar should arrive at the hostel on Sunday, 3 July 2011; the programme begins according to the timetable on Monday at 8.15 a.m., 4 July 2011 at the Faculty of Arts.

The departure date is Saturday, 16 July 2011.

Grants

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.

Pocket money of 9 Euros per day is available to unemployed students who have received a grant on the basis of international agreements or programmes of cooperation.

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 2011 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.

Certificates and credit points (ECTS)

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).

Medical insurance, temporary residence permit and registration with the police

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

As they will not be entering Slovenia as tourists but for purposes of study or professional training, they are advised to arrange before they come a temporary residence permit for Slovenia. This is particularly important for citizens of third countries (not the European Union, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein), who require this document even for short visits, while citizens of member states of the European Economic Area, within 90 days of entering Slovenia, must register with the police.

Payment (for participants who pay the fee and costs of accommodation themselves)

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

Prices for those paying themselves:

- fee:

- 2-week seminar: 550 EUR

- 3-week seminar: 660 EUR

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

- 2-week seminar: 240 EUR

- 3-week seminar: 350 EUR

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

- 2-week seminar: 330 EUR

- 3-week seminar: 470 EUR

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 2011. 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.

Registration

Those receiving grants are requested to complete by 20 April 2011 the registration form on our website at www.centerslo.net/seminar (47^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 47^th Seminar of Slovene Language, Literature and Culture paying the seminar fee and accommodation costs themselves should be sent by 31 May 2011. You can apply via the Internet at www.centerslo.net/seminar (47^th SSJLK, Registration Form) or using the registration form from this booklet.

Important dates