The Department of Romance Languages and Literatures

Division of the Humanities | The University of Chicago

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2007-2008 Undergraduate Courses in Portuguese

AUTUMN WINTER SPRING
10100 Elementary Portuguese I 10200 Elementary Portuguese II 10300 Elementary Portuguese III
20100 Intermediate Portuguese 20200 Advanced Portuguese 12200 Portuguese for Spanish Speakers
21701 Beyond “Cinema Novo”: New Cinema from Brazil, Portugal and Lusophone Africa 29700 Readings in Special Topics 21500 Estilística da língua portuguesa
29700 Readings in Special Topics 29900 B.A. Paper Preparation: Portuguese 22200 Scepsis in the Tropics? The Legacy of Machado de Assis, 1908-2008
    29700 Readings in Special Topics  
    24501 Contemporary Portuguese Poetry  

Some 30000 and 40000-level courses in Portuguese (PORT) are open to advanced undergraduates in Romance Languages with consent of instructor. Please contact the department for further information.

Language

Language (must be taken for a quality grade)


10100-10200-10300. Beginning Elementary Portuguese I, II, III. Must be taken for a quality grade. This three-quarter sequence is designed for beginning and beginning-intermediate students in Portuguese. Its aim is providing students with a solid foundation in the basic patterns of spoken and written Portuguese (e.g., grammar, vocabulary, phonetics, sociocultural norms) to develop their speaking, listening, writing, and reading skills to the level required to demonstrate competency on the Portuguese examination. Although the three classes constitute a sequence leading to the Portuguese competency examination, there is enough review and recycling at every level for students to enter the sequence at whatever level is appropriate for them. A.M. Lima. Autumn, Winter, Spring.


12200. Portuguese for Spanish Speakers. PQ: SPAN 20100 or consent of instructor. Must be taken for a quality grade. This class is designed for speakers of Spanish to develop competence quickly in spoken and written Portuguese. In this intermediate-level course, students learn ways to apply their Spanish language skills to mastering Portuguese by concentrating on the similarities and differences between the two languages. A.M. Lima. Spring.


20100/30100-20200/30200. Intermediate/Advanced Portuguese. Must be taken for a quality grade. In this intermediate/advanced-level sequence, students review and extend their knowledge of all basic patterns (e.g., grammar, vocabulary, phonetics, sociocultural norms) of the language. They develop their oral and written skills in describing, narrating, and presenting arguments. They are exposed to texts and audio-visual material that provide them with a deeper understanding of Portuguese literature, culture, and contemporary society. Autumn, Winter.

Literature and Culture


21500/31500. Estilística da língua portuguesa. PQ: PORT 20200/30200 or consent of instructor. This course is specifically designed to help students develop their skills in understanding, summarizing, and producing written and spoken arguments in Portuguese through readings and debates on various issues of relevance in contemporary Luso-Brazilian societies. Special consideration is given to the major differences between continental and Brazilian Portuguese. In addition to reading, analyzing, and commenting on advanced texts (both literary and nonliterary), students practice and extend their writing skills in a series of compositions. A.M. Lima. Spring.


21701. Beyond “Cinema Novo”: New Cinema from Brazil, Portugal and Lusophone Africa. We will explore new tendencies in the cinema of Portugal, Brazil and Portuguese-speaking African countries such as Mozambique, Angola and Guinea-Bissau. Under analysis will be recent productions in a variety of formats and genres such as fiction and documentary, publicity, and TV series. We will assess the contributions of these cinematic objects to contemporary socio-political discourse focusing both on the Portuguese-speaking world and beyond. Course conducted in English. P. Pereira. Autumn.


22200. Scepsis in the Tropics? The Legacy of Machado de Assis, 1908-2008. In this course we will celebrate the life and rich literary career of the Brazilian master Machado de Assis, a century after his death (1908). We will read from selections of his short stories, novels and newspaper chronicles, and we will also venture into significant critical literature on Machado issued from Brazil, the US and Portugal. Course conducted in English, with optional weekly Portuguese session for advanced students. Graduate/undergraduate. Pedro Pereira. P. Pereira. Spring.


29700. Readings in Special Topics. PQ: PORT 10300 or 20200/30200, depending upon the requirements of the program for which credit is sought. Students are required to submit the College Reading and Research Course Form. Directed readings in special topics not covered by courses offered as part of the program in Portuguese. Subjects treated and work to be completed for the course must be chosen in consultation with the instructor no later than the end of the preceding quarter. Autumn, Winter, Spring.


24501. Contemporary Portuguese Poetry. The 20th Century has been called the Golden Century of Portuguese Poetry. The course will attempt to discuss this claim, at least insofar as post-1935 poetry is concerned (Fernando Pessoa, arguably the greatest Portuguese poet of that century, died in 1935). We will read translations of Portuguese poems by Richard Zenith included in portugal.poetryinternationalweb.org.  Some attention will be paid to the context of post-1935 Western poetic traditions.  No knowledge of Portuguese is required. M. Tamen. Spring.


29900. B.A. Paper Preparation: Portuguese. This is a study of problems and methods of research, concentrating on a literary topic of the student's choice, as preparation for the B.A. paper. Individual tutorial sessions arranged. Winter.