University of St Andrews - School of Modern Languages
Department of Arabic
PR1001 PERSIAN FOR BEGINNERS (1) NB in 2011/12, PR1001 will be offered in Semester 2
Objectives and Content
Modern Persian, one of the languages of the ever- changing Middle East, is spoken by almost 100 million
speakers not just in Iran, but also in Afghanistan and Central Asia. The Persian language is the link to the
great history, literature and culture of ancient Persia. Having preserved the literature of the lost empire, it
carries the words of such celebrated poets as Ferdowsi, Hafiz and Mawlana (Rumi). Modern Iran is one of
the most powerful, strategically important and influential countries in the Middle East and plays an
important role in the political development of the whole region which also adds to the popularity of modern
Persian language. The course will help beginners learn to read and write modern Persian texts and engage in
basic conversation. The students will be equipped with essential vocabulary and fundamental grammatical
rules, and will be continuously assessed through various exercises.
Teaching
The class meets on a daily basis. Time to be confirmed.
Study Materials
The textbooks for the course are:
• Persian Language Course: An Introduction to the Persian Language of Today,
with CDs, by Faramarz Behzad, Soraya Divshali . translated by J.P. Luft
• Persian Language Teaching (Azfa), with DVDs, by Yadolah Samareh
Module Co-ordinator: Miss. Maryam Ghorbankarimi ([email protected])
