LIVE KIRTAN

OUR COURSES


THE PROGRAM IN PUNJABI LANGUAGE AND CULTURE


PUNJABI COURSE OFFERED:
  • Beginner:
  • Intermediate:
  • Advance:
  • Adult:
  • PUNJ 111,  PUNJ 112,  PUNJ 121,  PUNJ 122
  • PUNJ 231,  PUNJ 232,  PUNJ 241,  PUNJ 242
  • PUNJ 351,  PUNJ 352
  • PUNJ 411,  PUNJ 412,  PUNJ 421,  PUNJ 422,  PUNJ 531
CURRICULAM GOALS

The modern Punjabi language curriculum is arranged in a five-year sequence of courses offering a balanced emphasis on listening, speaking, reading, and writing. A primary goal is that students be able to communicate fluently and accurately in appropriate social context as well as to read high quality authentic materials with the necessary aid of a dictionary and write short papers on designated topics, by the end of the fourth year. In addition, Independent Studies is also available to serve the needs of advanced students who want to further improve their language proficiency beyond the fourth year level.

COURSE DESCRIPTION
HOW LONG DOES THE COURSE LAST

There are about 15+ classes per semester. Lessons take place once a week and last 1.5 hours each.

WHO IS THE COURSE FOR?

The course is aimed at a wide range of students with a general interest in Punjabi. No prior knowledge of Punjabi is required as the course is for complete beginners.

WHAT ARE THE OBJECTIVES OF THE COURSE?

To acquire basic language skills and to achieve the equivalent entry level of the Languages qualification.

BY THE END OF THE COURSE YOU WILL...
  • be able to communicate in very basic everyday-life situations, including greetings, daily activities, finding your way, telling the time and date, making simple purchases, ordering a meal, etc.
  • be able to understand very simple oral and written texts and ascertain specific information on simple topics
  • have developed an insight into Punjabi-speaking life, culture and society
WHAT SORT OF PUNJABI DO YOU TEACH?

The most commonly used version of Punjabi is Gurmukhi (mainly spoken in India). There is another version, Shahmukhi, which is used to a lesser extent by the Punjabi speakers in Pakistan. The two versions are by and large very similar. What we will be offering is Gurmukhi but some elements of Shahmukhi will be mentioned during the course as well.



COURSE OUTLINE


PUNJ 111, PUNJ 112 - Mastery of the Alphabet

Duration: One Year

  • The Gurmukhi alphabet
  • Simple two-three letter words
    • Names of the rainbow colours in Punjabi
    • Names of the days of the week
    • Counting up to 25 in Punjabi
    • Names of the body parts
  • Gurmat
    • Gur-Mantar:      Waheguru
    • Beej-Mantar:      Ek ongar
    • Mool-Mantar:   Our basic belief
  • Our three basic principals
    • Naam Japna:                Meditation
    • Wand Ke Chhakna:      Sharing
    • Dharm Di Kirat Karna:  Earning Livelihood Honestly
  • Memorize/Recite the Japji Sahib Path (Mool Manter, Pauri 1 to Pauri 2)
  • Names of the TEN SIKH GURUS
  • Names of the PANJ PYARE (Five Beloved Ones)
  • Names of the FOUR SAHIBZADAS (Sons of Guru Gobind Singh Ji)
PUNJ 121, PUNJ 122 - Mastery of the Gurmukhi Matras

Duration: One Year

Prereq 1 year PUNJ 111 & PUNJ 112 (grade of at least B- ) and placement exam

  • The Lagaan Matra symbols and their sounds
  • The special sound modifiers in Punjabi
  • Names of the days of the week, months, and seasons
  • Counting up to 50
  • Names of the: Body Parts, Colors, Days of the week, Months, Years, Relationship
  • Gurmat
    • Name of TEN GURUS, PANJ PYARE, FOUR SAHIBZADAS
    • Japuji Sahib Path (Mool Manter, Pauri 1 to Pauri 10)
PUNJ 231, PUNJ 232 - Beginning Reading (Words, simple sentences, poems & short stories)

Duration: One Year

  • Read simple text in Punjabi
  • Write a simple essay about themselves
  • Develop a good base in vocabulary, including counting up to 100
  • Reading Activity
    • Let Us Learn Gurmukhi Book III, Shamsher Singh Puri
  • Gurmat
    • Name of TEN GURUS, PANJ PYARE, FOUR SAHIBZADAS
    • Japuji Sahib Path (Mool Manter, Pauri 1 to Pauri 15)
    • Ardaas
PUNJ 241, PUNJ 242 - Intermediate Reading (Punjabi grammar, Simple short stories)

Duration: One Year

  • Read short stories, Sakhies, essays,and poems with relative ease
  • Understand the text and be able to answer questions from the text
  • Do counting up to 200 in Punjabi
  • Develop understanding of the basic concepts of Punjabi grammar.
  • Reading Activity
    • Let Us Learn Gurmukhi Book IV, Shamsher Singh Puri
  • Gurmat
    • Japuji Sahib Path (Mool Manter, Pauri 1 to Pauri 20)
    • Ardaas
PUNJ 351, PUNJ 352 - Advanced Reading (Sakhies of Guru Nanak Dev Ji)

Duration: One Year

  • Read Punjabi fluently at 60 words per minute speed and understand what they read
  • Write answers to question in complete sentences.
  • Learn counting up to 500 and beyond in Punjabi.
  • Punjabi Grammar: Brijinder Singh
    • Punjabi Nouns
    • Punjabi Pronouns
    • Punjabi Verbs
    • Punjabi Adjectives
    • List of Adjectives in
      • Punjabi
      • Punjabi Adverbs
    • Punjabi Negation
    • Punjabi Questions
    • Punjabi Vocabulary
    • Punjabi Phrases
    • Punjabi Numbers
    • List of Adverbs in
      • Punjabi
      • Punjabi Articles
      • Punjabi Plural
      • Punjabi Feminine
      • PunjabiPrepositions


ADULT STUDENTS: PUNJ 411, PUNJ 412, PUNJ 421, PUNJ 422, PUNJ 531


PUNJ 411, PUNJ 412 – General Punjabi Review and vocabulary

Term 1 & 2 Topics

    1. Gurmukhi Alphabets
    2. Writing Practice
    3. Vowels
    4. Consents
    5. Lagakhar
    6. Foot Words
    7. Sound Practice
    8. Practice of Vowels
    9. Counting
    10. Parts of Body
    11. Wild and Domestic Animals
    12. House Hold
    13. English/Punjabi Vocabulary
    14. Sentence Formation
    15. Punjabi/English Poems
    16. Punjabi English Translation
PUNJ 421, PUNJ 422 – General topics in daily life

Term 3 & 4 Topics

    1. Actions
    2. Adjectives
    3. Agriculture
    4. All about yourself
    5. Animals
    6. Articles in common daily use
    7. Bank
    8. Basic Phrases
    9. Basic Vocabulary
    10. Birds
    11. Characters
    12. Clothes and Dresses
    13. Collective Noun
    14. Colours
    15. Countries
    16. Crime and Theft
    17. Days
    18. Describing yourself and your family
    19. Dinner Menu
    20. Directions
    21. Diseases
    22. Domedtic Articles
    23. Drink Set
    24. Edibles
    25. Education
    26. Etiquette
    27. Feelings
    28. Find the shop you need
    29. Flowers
    30. Food
    31. Fruits
    32. General Responses
    33. Grains and Crops
    34. Groceries
    35. Hospital
    36. Hostel
    37. Housework
    38. In the restaurant
    39. In the shop
    40. Industry
    41. Insects
    42. Institutions,Buildings and Their Parts
    43. Interrogatives
PUNJ 531 – Reading writing and speaking

Term 5 & 6 Topics

    1. Material Set
    2. Meeting and Greeting
    3. Metals
    4. Minerals
    5. Months
    6. Nature and Natural Things
    7. Ornaments and Jewellery
    8. Parts of Body
    9. Parts of Car
    10. Paying
    11. People
    12. Personal Pronouns
    13. Places
    14. Planets
    15. Print Media
    16. Professional
    17. Public Transport
    18. Punjabi for Travellers
    19. Relations
    20. Road Accidents
    21. Shopping
    22. Sight Seeing
    23. Spices
    24. Sports
    25. Stationary
    26. Time
    27. Toasting in Punjabi
    28. Tools
    29. Travelling by Bus or Coach
    30. Travelling by Car or Taxi
    31. Travelling by Plane
    32. Travelling by Ship
    33. Travelling by Train
    34. Trees and Their Parts
    35. Useful Words
    36. Vegetables
    37. Verbs
    38. Weather
    39. What Sort Of
    40. When You Lose Something
    41. Where to


LEARING RESOURCES


Textbook and exercise book:

  • Gurmukhi Gian; Dr. Satnam Singh Sandhu, Punjabi University, Patiala
  • Punjabi Made Easy Book 1
  • Star Children’s Picture Dictionary; Babita Verma; Star Publications Pvt. Ltd.
  • LET US LEARN GURMUKHI, Book 1, 2, 3 & 4; Shamsher Singh Puri
  • Learn Punjabi in 35 days; Principal Santokh Singh
  • Punjabi Vocabulary of Common Terms; Dr. G. S. Lehal ; Punjabi University, Patiala
  • Kalra, S.S., Purewal, N.K. and Tyson-Ward, S.(2007) Teach Yourself Punjabi (with CDs); Hodder & Stoughton Educational.

Students are expected to purchase their own textbook. An exercise book may also be recommended. The teacher will supply additional material, both tailor-made and taken from other sources (textbooks, newspapers, and new media).



RECOMMENDED ADDITIONAL MATERIAL:


  • An Introduction to Punjabi Grammar, Conversation and Literature; Gurinder Singh Mann; Punjabi University, Patiala
  • Wadey Rajey Dian Kahanian by Prof: Preetam Singh
  • Books and newspapers from the internet
  • Punjabi Dictionary


ONLINE LANGUAGE LEARING RESOURCES:


Click here to listen how to say Punjabi Alphabet >>

Click here to learn how to write Gurmukhi Alphabets >>



INDEPENDENT STUDY:


Research indicates that successful language learners revise new material and review their progress on a regular basis. The Guru Arjan Dev Library is a place for Open Learning Centre (OLC), houses a wide collection of learning material including text and grammar books, magazines and newspapers, CDs, DVDs, and self-access e-leaning language programs.

Guru Arjan Dev Library – Sikh Society of Minnesota: please see Gurdwara website: www.mnsikhs.com