ARAB208L

Offers an immersive introduction to spoken Levantine/Shami Arabic through popular culture. Students will develop practical communication skills in a regional colloquial variety of Arabic while engaging with everyday language use. In addition to language acquisition, the course explores cultural traditions, daily life, holidays and celebrations, as well as broader cultural and social issues reflected in popular media. Emphasis is placed on authentic materials and culturally embedded speechpractices, including idiomatic expressions, proverbs, register shifts, gestures and nonverbal communication, and socially appropriate language and behaviors. Regional focus varies by semester.