Tamil Language Classes
Contact Hours:
48h (36 + 12 online)
Credits:
3 AU
Synopsis
This course aims to provide students
with a fundamental awareness of the Tamil language in both its spoken
and written forms. Through communicative classes and self-study,
students will develop receptive skills (reading and listening) and
productive skills (speaking and writing) in Tamil, with particular
emphasis on spoken Tamil and the acquisition of Tamil sounds and script.
The course also introduces basic Tamil grammar and vocabulary relevant
to everyday communication.
Beyond language acquisition, the course
offers students the opportunity to explore aspects of Tamil culture,
including its history, literary tradition — both classical and
contemporary — and the Tamil film industry. It is particularly relevant
for students planning to travel to Tamil Nadu, whether to deepen their
cultural understanding or to pursue new ventures in trade, industry,
education, or investment. The course also provides a valuable foundation
for engaging with Tamil communities in Singapore and around the world.
In
addition to language proficiency, students will develop broader
intrinsic language-learning skills as well as transferable skills
applicable beyond the classroom.
Pre-requisite:
No previous knowledge of the language
Learning Outcomes
- Distinguish between the diglossic forms of the Tamil language: spoken and written
- Demonstrate basic phonetic and phonological knowledge of Tamil and articulate accurately the sounds of the Tamil language
- Observe and use basic morphological nuances of spoken Tamil
- Apply acquired vocabulary from the themes studied, in everyday communicative tasks in spoken Tamil
- Produce grammatically sound sentences for use in essential everyday situations in spoken Tamil from the themes studied
- Recognise and reproduce Tamil script as a solid foundation for preliminary reading and writing tasks within the themes studied and imminent long-term study of the Tamil language
- Discover Tamil culture through the Tamil language