Course description
For the Beginning A to Intermediate C classes, we use "Colloquial Urdu" by Routledge.
"Colloquial Urdu" is aimed to assist two types of learners: (1)those who want to learn the language through the Urdu (Perso-Arabic) script; and (2) those who wish to learn the spoken language in a relatively short period of time without the aid of the Urdu script. Such pragramatic considerations are an important feature of this book.
The main body of the book comprises ten conversational units which consist of the following parts: (1) vocabulary; (2) dialogues with English translation; (3) notes detailing pronunciation, grammar and usage involving the unit; and (4)exercises.
The Reference Grammar gives an overview of Urdu grammar with complete paradigms. This section complements the notes and grammar sections given in each conversation unit. Additionally, the Urdu-English Glossary gives all the words used in the dialogues. The words are listed alphabetically in both Urdu and English.
Beginning A (Chapter 1-2)
Topics: Urdu script, Urdu vowels, Urdu consonants, pronunciation, simple greetings, learn expressions of social etiquette, use expressions for leave-taking, ask simple questions, make simple requests, introduce yourself, say & ask what you or others do, say & ask where you work, talk about your family, ask someone's address, refer to possessions, use very frequent adjectives, etc.
Grammar and Usage: Honorific pronoun, basic ideas on word order, yes/no questions, personal and demonstrative pronouns, number & gender, word order with the question word 'what', question words 'where' and 'how many/much', tag question, the verb 'to be', present habitual actions, the verb 'to have', etc.
Beginning B (Chapter 3-4)
Topics: Tell someone what you wish to get, describe locations, use some negotiation skills, make reservations, describe possessions (transferable), express physical states (fever, headache, etc), talk about hobbies & interests, talk about likes & dislikes, manage some more expressions of health & ailments, learn expressions with 'generally', note asymmetry between English and Urdu expressions, etc.
Grammar and Usage: Polite commands, compound and oblique postpositions, separable & transferable possessions, verb agreement, objects & subjects, infinitive verbs, oblique verbal nouns, repetition of question words, netative markers, direct objects, derived adjectives, constractive 'e' pronoun forms, etc.
Beginning C (Chapter 5-6)
Topics: Talk about your own and other's plans, compare people and objects, develop paraphrasing skills, express desires, express ability/capability, talk about past events/actions, talk about topics dealing with 'lost and found', learn to express sequential actions, employ some more very frequent expressions, etc.
Grammar and Usage: Comparative/superlative, compound postpositions, past tense: the verb 'to be', progressive, the future tense, time expressions, emphatic particle 'only, right, very', irregular commands, the perfective form (the simple past), irregular verbs, echo words, etc.
Intermediate A (Chapter 7-8)
Topics: Talk about your skills, give advice, express obligation, emphasize things, persuade others, advise & caution someone, explain the reasons, hypothetical statements, etc.
Grammar and Usage: Formulaic expression: 'forvie/excuse me', the immediate future, negative words 'nobody' 'nowhere' 'never', the subjunctive, compound verbs, the present and past perfective form, the conditional, the negative particle, negation and auxiliary verb deletion, causative verbs, present participle, constrstive negation, etc.
Intermediate B, C (Chapter 9-10)
Topics: Learn more about Indian and Pakistani food, show your intention, talk about life style, talk about what you do for free time, learn about Muslim festival, talk about marriage ceremony, etc.
Grammar and Usage: Purpose clauses, the past participle: adjectival and adverbial use, compound verbs with 'jana (to go)', the passive construction, the omitted subject, negation & auxiliary deletion, agentless passives, relative clauses, the Perso-Arabic component in Urdu, etc.
