This course builds on Advanced Persian A. It will develop various skills such as the capacity to use some idiomatic and conversational forms and ability to use them freely in speech; proficiency in written structures of advanced complexity and the capacity to use such structures clearly and accurately; interpreting messages of an advanced level of complexity occurring in a variety of audio-visual media and individual and group spoken forms. Students should become conversant in some aspects of advanced Persian syntax and morphology, the historical development of Persian language and literature up to the modern period including some examples of literary writing and translation of sophisticated classical and modern poetry and prose.

At the conclusion of the course, students will have achieved language competency in the following skills:

Reading Proficiency:

(1) Demonstrate sufficient comprehension to understand most factual material in 

      technical prose as well as some discussions on concrete topics related to

      personal and social interests

(2) Demonstrate use of linguistic context to make sensible understanding of

      poetic and prosodic materials

(3) Possess an active reading vocabulary demonstrating the ability to identify main

      ideas and to distinguish these from subsidiary ideas

(4) be able to comprehend the influence of long-term cultural, historical and

      political backgrounds on classical and modern writings and ability to

      interpret them

Speaking Proficiency:

(1) Initiate and maintain unpredictable face-to-face conversations in various

      social, cultural and political contexts

(2) Use accurate grammatical relations

(3) Exhibit various forms of verb tenses

(4) Demonstrate accurate pronunciation and intonation

Writing Proficiency:

(1) Demonstrate strong ability to write and translate texts of advanced difficulty

     from Persian to English and vice versa using a dictionary

(2) Demonstrate good control of morphology of language and of the most

      frequently used syntactic structures

(3) Writing, particularly in Nastaliq, which is legible to native readers

Listening Proficiency:

(1) Comprehend conversations of personal, social topics at advanced level with

      standard speed

(2) Demonstrate authority in understanding of a range of circumstances beyond

                 average topics, when listening to audio-visual facilities

(3) Understand and distinguish without difficulty various application of syntax and

      word order

General Homework (10%), quizzes (10%), attendance (10%), class participation (10%), mid-semester test (written 20%), final exam (oral 10% and written 30%)

Advanced Persian A (or equivalent prior knowledge, with permission of lecturer)

A wide range of literary materials will be provided in the form of a brick. More handouts will be given by the lecturer to cover various other aspects of the course. 

On-Line Learning Resources

http://www.persian-language.org/

www.irib.ir/radio/adab/shaer.htm

http://www.iranianshouse.org/

http://www.farsidic.com/    on-line dictionary