44th Seminar on Slovene Language, Literature and Culture

                                                                                                                                                                           The Seminar of Slovene Language, Literature and Culture is a summer event for students, researchers, translators, journalists and others abroad whose work brings them into contact with Slovene. Due to the specific interests of this public, the seminar differs from other foreign language summer schools in that it not only consolidates participants' language knowledge, but also, through a carefully considered programme of courses, lectures, workshops, exercises, afternoon or evening events and educational outings, widens their cultural capabilities. The seminar's decades of tradition mean that it has the organisational experience required and has reached a high level of quality. But excellence is not only dependent upon eminent lecturers, experienced teachers and friendly teaching assistants – it is also the result of the curiosity of the seminar participants themselves, who each year bring afresh to the offered activities their enthusiasm, helping to shape the whole atmosphere of the event. Active study vacations in the Slovene capital thus become a relaxed but creative experience, as well as an opportunity to get to know others with similar interests

 

The overall theme of this year's seminar is Slovene Language, Literature, Culture and the Media. Although a literary work is composed of words and its essence is language, every day we encounter artistic works in which literature goes beyond language and becomes integral to a film, theatre performance, song, picture, opera or other work. At this year's seminar, we shall contemplate works of literature which have been adapted for the screen, we shall discuss the relationship between the dramatic text and its stage performance, analyse and discuss the works of Slovene poets set to music, and so on (the evening programme will also play an important role here). At the same time, we shall identify the characteristics of the language used in stage plays and films, on the television, in journalism, advertising, etc. For this reason, in addition to linguists and literary historians, we also wish to attract theatre and film theorists, musicologists, sociologists and culturologists, hoping in this way to cast some light on our theme from different perspectives. Our deliberations will further touch upon the wider issue of the role and importance of art in a society shaped by the media, in which all of us, irrespective of where we come from, are becoming increasingly a part of the global spectacle. 

 

Assistant Professor Mateja Pezdirc Bartol PhD

President of the 44th SSJLK

 

 

 

 

 

The seminar is organized 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.

 

 

Participants in the seminar are foreign Slovenicists, Slavicists, literary 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 Slavonic 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 organized at different locations in Ljubljana.

 

 

The lecturers, lectors and other teaching staff at the seminar are established experts and researchers from the Department of Slovene Studies, the Department of Slavonic

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.

 

 

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,

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 about 15 hours a week, with a total of 30 hours in the 2-week seminar and 60 hours in the 3-week seminar. Classes are organized in 3 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 44th Seminar of Slovene Language, Literature and Culture they will focus on the overall theme of Slovene Language, Literature, Culture and the Media. As always, the results will appear in the seminar proceedings.

 

 

Three elective courses of 5 hours each look in depth 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 three 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 wish to improve their spoken Slovene. The work is organized in small groups and adjusted to the individual.

 

 

These classes are aimed at improving communication skills, extending vocabulary, internalizing communication patterns and eliminating mistakes. 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 a few 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 and was very well received by seminar participants in previous years.

 

 

The seminar also offers a rich afternoon-evening programme, which generally includes the showing of a Slovene film, a theatre performance, visits to museums, galleries and

libraries, musical and literary evenings, guided tours of Ljubljana, etc. This additional programme includes a whole-day study excursion, which will take place this year on

Saturday, 5 July 2008.

 

 

The library of the Departments of Slovene/Slavonic Studies keeps an open door for seminar participants. Throughout the duration of the seminar they can borrow books and turn for

advice to the friendly 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 in their accommodation, Dijaški dom Vič.

 

 

Accommodation is organised at the Vič hostel (Dijaški dom Vič), Gerbičeva 51/a, which is between the Svoboda sports ground and the Murgle housing development. It is 15 minutes

walk to the faculty. Accommodation is in twin rooms or single rooms (at additional charge). A self-service breakfast is provided. More information is available on the website http://www.dd-vic.si.

 

 

Participants of the 3-week seminar should arrive at the hostel on Sunday, 22 June 2008; the programme begins on Monday morning, 23 June 2008 at the Faculty of Arts, Aškerčeva 2, Ljubljana.

 

Participants of the 2-week seminar should arrive at the hostel on Sunday, 29 June 2008; the programme begins according to the timetable on Monday, 30 June 2008 at the Faculty of Arts.

 

The departure date is Saturday, 12 July 2008.

 

 

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 organizations 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 Slovenicists and Slavonicists.

 

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 2008 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 4 credit points (4 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 before leaving, otherwise they must pay the expenses of medical care and medication themselves.

 

After we have received your application form, we will send you the invoice by regular or e-mail. You can pay the invoice at any bank or post office or at the cash desk of the Faculty of Arts, 2 Aškerčeva, 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 2008. 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.

 

The registration form for the 44th Seminar of Slovene Language, Literature and Culture should be sent by 31 May 2008.

 

 

 

President: Assist. Prof. Dr. Mateja Pezdirc Bartol

Head of the lectors: Assist. Prof. Dr. Đurđa Strsoglavec

Organization of the seminar: Mojca Nidorfer Šiškovič, M.A., Damjan Huber
 

Seminar publications: Metka Lokar, M.A.

 

 

Univerza v Ljubljani

Center za slovenščino kot drugi/tuji jezik

Seminar slovenskega jezika, literature in kulture

Kongresni trg 12

SI-1000 Ljubljana