Catalan at UMass

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Courses in Catalan

All the Catalan language courses offered by the Catalan Studies program are conceived to enable students to acquire notions of Catalan language in different levels through task-based daily communicative situations. The courses' practical nature will promote both the apprentice's participation and interaction in order to facilitate communication in different socio-cultural contexts. These course will develop the student's capacity focused on the student's individuality in order to achieve a progressive mastery of the four main skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking through real life situations and the creation of a personal project.

The courses currently offered are:

Spanish 197A Elementary Catalan I (Fall and Spring)

Spanish 197C Elementary Catalan II (Spring)

Spanish 297C Intensive Intermediate Catalan I (Fall)

Spanish 297D Intensive Intermediate Catalan II (Fall)

Spanish 397J – Catalan Culture. This course is an overview of the Catalan Culture including six important and influential aspects of the Catalan culture and society: literature, cinema, art, music, gastronomy and traditions. Through this course you will be able to discover a rich, unique and very interesting culture that includes important characters such as: Mercè Rodoreda, Quim Monzó, Salvador Dalí, Picasso, Isabel Coixet, Cesc Gay... This course will be a good chance not only to enjoy some excellent novels, films and other works, but also to widen our perception and knowledge on Peninsular cultures.

SPAN 597T - Catalan Cinema. (team taught Zecchi and Llompart) Offered in combination with the Catalan Film Festival). 1 credit, Pass-Fail. Spanish cinema started in Catalunya with two important schools: the realistic school led by Fructuós Gelabert; and the fantastic trend represented by Segundo de Chomón. After the silence forced upon Catalan cinema during Franco’s dictatorship in the 40’s and 50’s, it started to regain an important role in the film industry with the Barcelona School in the mid 60’s. Presently Catalan Cinema enjoys a strong recognition thanks to the works of well-known Catalan directors such as Bigas Luna, Ventura Pons and Isabel Coixet, among others. Class meets once a week for three hours. Students are in charge of twenty minutes film introductions and to moderate discussions. Attendance is mandatory. Films are shown in the original language (Catalan or Castilian) w/ English subtitles.