Bengali
Bengali (Bangla) is the essence and pride of all Bengal, no matter where its speakers reside or the number of years spent away from West Bengal (India) or Bangladesh, the two places where Bengali is a native language. While India has about 67 million Bengali speakers, its neighbor Bangladesh has approximately 100 million speakers. These figures do not indicate the entire population of Bengalis, as many speakers reside in various other countries. For instance, the UAE has about 70,000 Bengali speakers, and the US has a far greater number. The extensive diaspora of the Bengali population all over the globe has raised the language's everyday demand, as well as its popularity in the international scene.
Bengali is more than a language, as it opens the door to a whole vista of rich cultural materials, both traditional and contemporary. Those who learn Bengali soon find themselves enamored by the works of Rabindranath Tagore, the Nobel laureate in literature, and hosts of other reputed literateurs. Others learn to appreciate the beauty and craft of Bengali cinema, especially the films of Satyajit Ray, the winner of the Oscar's Lifetime Achievement Award. For those interested in philosophy and religion, knowledge of Bengali becomes crucial in understanding the philosophies of Swami Vivekananda, Chaitanya, and the Bhakti movement of Bengal.
In today's world, Bengali occupies an important place. Originating from middle of the tenth century, this language allows one to explore the prevailing trends of a community that holds onto traditional values, but, at the same time, is eager to explore new and diverse paths.
Course Offerings
- BENG 0100/5100 Elementary Bengali I
- BENG 0200/5200 Elementary Bengali II
- BENG 0300/5300 Intermediate Bengali I
- BENG 0400/5400 Intermediate Bengali II
- BENG 1500/5500 Advanced Bengali
View course descriptions.
Instructors
Haimanti Banerjee Sreeparna SarkarCourse Schedule
| Title | Instructors | Location | Time | Description | Cross listings | Fulfills | Registration notes | Syllabus | Syllabus URL | Term | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BENG 0400-680 | Intermediate Bengali Part II | Haimanti Banerjee | TR 5:15 PM-6:44 PM | This course develops the student's prior knowledge of Bengali. An attempt is made to gear the syllabus to meet the specific needs of students. The focus of the course is to develop the oral and aural skills of the learner as well as improve writing skills and reading strategies. Emphasis is also laid on increasing the sociolinguistic and strategic competence of the learners so that they will be able to function in the target culture. Besides discussions on various aspects of Bengali life, students read some short literary texts in the original Bengali version. | Penn Lang Center Perm needed | 2025A | ||||||
| BENG 1500-680 | Advanced Bengali | Haimanti Banerjee | TR 1:45 PM-3:14 PM | The objective of this course is to develop the proficiency level of the students in all the four skills by using different genres of Bengali literature (West Bengal and Bangladesh) s its course content. Reading comprehension will be enhanced as students learn to understand authentic texts at the linguistic and cultural level while discussion (description, narration, supporting opinion) on issues related to these texts aim to hone the oral and written skills. Studentswill be allowed to work on individual texts & topics(with the instructors permission)for their final project. This is a one semester course. Spring: Bengali Popular Culture- This course aims to use as its content, different aspects of popular Bengali culture as they are represented in media (film, television, magazines, newspapers) and arts (fashion, local and regional art, music). Students will be expected to develop their linguistic skills (description, narration, supporting opinion) and socio-cultural awareness while interacting with these varied types of texts. Students will be allowed to work on individual texts & topics (with the instructors permission) for their final project. This is a one semester course. | BENG5500680 | Penn Lang Center Perm needed | 2025A | |||||
| BENG 5500-680 | Advanced Bengali | Haimanti Banerjee | TR 1:45 PM-3:14 PM | The objective of this course is to develop the proficiency level of the students in all the four skills by using different genres of Bengali literature (West Bengal and Bangladesh) s its course content. Reading comprehension will be enhanced as students learn to understand authentic texts at the linguistic and cultural level while discussion (description, narration, supporting opinion) on issues related to these texts aim to hone the oral and written skills. Studentswill be allowed to work on individual texts & topics(with the instructors permission)for their final project. This is a one semester course. Spring: Bengali Popular Culture- This course aims to use as its content, different aspects of popular Bengali culture as they are represented in media (film, television, magazines, newspapers) and arts (fashion, local and regional art, music). Students will be expected to develop their linguistic skills (description, narration, supporting opinion) and socio-cultural awareness while interacting with these varied types of texts. Students will be allowed to work on individual texts & topics (with the instructors permission) for their final project. This is a one semester course. | BENG1500680 | Penn Lang Center Perm needed | 2025A | |||||
| BENG 0300-680 | Intermediate Bengali Part I | Haimanti Banerjee | WILL 438 | TR 5:15 PM-6:44 PM | This course develops the student's prior knowledge of Bengali. An attempt is made to gear the syllabus to meet the specific needs of students. The focus of the course is to develop the oral and aural skills of the learner as well as improve writing skills and reading strategies. Emphasis is also laid on increasing the sociolinguistic and strategic competence of the learners so that they will be able to function in the target culture. Besides discussions on various aspects of Bengali life, students read some short literary texts in the original Bengali version. | BENG5300680 | Penn Lang Center Perm needed | 2024C | ||||
| BENG 1500-680 | Advanced Bengali | Haimanti Banerjee | The objective of this course is to develop the proficiency level of the students in all the four skills by using different genres of Bengali literature (West Bengal and Bangladesh) s its course content. Reading comprehension will be enhanced as students learn to understand authentic texts at the linguistic and cultural level while discussion (description, narration, supporting opinion) on issues related to these texts aim to hone the oral and written skills. Studentswill be allowed to work on individual texts & topics(with the instructors permission)for their final project. This is a one semester course. Spring: Bengali Popular Culture- This course aims to use as its content, different aspects of popular Bengali culture as they are represented in media (film, television, magazines, newspapers) and arts (fashion, local and regional art, music). Students will be expected to develop their linguistic skills (description, narration, supporting opinion) and socio-cultural awareness while interacting with these varied types of texts. Students will be allowed to work on individual texts & topics (with the instructors permission) for their final project. This is a one semester course. | BENG5500680 | Penn Lang Center Perm needed | 2024C | ||||||
| BENG 5300-680 | Intermediate Bengali Part I | Haimanti Banerjee | WILL 438 | TR 5:15 PM-6:44 PM | This course develops the student's prior knowledge of Bengali. An attempt is made to gear the syllabus to meet the specific needs of students. The focus of the course is to develop the oral and aural skills of the learner as well as improve writing skills and reading strategies. Emphasis is also laid on increasing the sociolinguistic and strategic competence of the learners so that they will be able to function in the target culture. Besides discussions on various aspects of Bengali life, students read some short literary texts in the original Bengali version. | BENG0300680 | Penn Lang Center Perm needed | 2024C | ||||
| BENG 5500-680 | Advanced Bengali | Haimanti Banerjee | The objective of this course is to develop the proficiency level of the students in all the four skills by using different genres of Bengali literature (West Bengal and Bangladesh) s its course content. Reading comprehension will be enhanced as students learn to understand authentic texts at the linguistic and cultural level while discussion (description, narration, supporting opinion) on issues related to these texts aim to hone the oral and written skills. Studentswill be allowed to work on individual texts & topics(with the instructors permission)for their final project. This is a one semester course. Spring: Bengali Popular Culture- This course aims to use as its content, different aspects of popular Bengali culture as they are represented in media (film, television, magazines, newspapers) and arts (fashion, local and regional art, music). Students will be expected to develop their linguistic skills (description, narration, supporting opinion) and socio-cultural awareness while interacting with these varied types of texts. Students will be allowed to work on individual texts & topics (with the instructors permission) for their final project. This is a one semester course. | BENG1500680 | Penn Lang Center Perm needed | 2024C | ||||||
| BENG 0200-680 | Beginning Bengali Part II | Haimanti Banerjee | WILL 24 | TR 5:15 PM-6:44 PM | This course introduces students to colloquial Bengali. It gives equal emphasis to each of the four skills, reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Language will be studied in the context of socio-cultural aspects of West Bengal and Bangladesh. Besides lessons from the text, a major portion of the syllabus will be based on topics drawn from films, cultural events, festivals, food, and religion. | BENG5200680 | 2024A | |||||
| BENG 0400-680 | Intermediate Bengali Part II | Sreeparna Sarkar | CANCELED | This course develops the student's prior knowledge of Bengali. An attempt is made to gear the syllabus to meet the specific needs of students. The focus of the course is to develop the oral and aural skills of the learner as well as improve writing skills and reading strategies. Emphasis is also laid on increasing the sociolinguistic and strategic competence of the learners so that they will be able to function in the target culture. Besides discussions on various aspects of Bengali life, students read some short literary texts in the original Bengali version. | BENG5400681 | 2024A | ||||||
| BENG 1500-680 | Advanced Bengali | Sreeparna Sarkar | CANCELED | The objective of this course is to develop the proficiency level of the students in all the four skills by using different genres of Bengali literature (West Bengal and Bangladesh) s its course content. Reading comprehension will be enhanced as students learn to understand authentic texts at the linguistic and cultural level while discussion (description, narration, supporting opinion) on issues related to these texts aim to hone the oral and written skills. Studentswill be allowed to work on individual texts & topics(with the instructors permission)for their final project. This is a one semester course. Spring: Bengali Popular Culture- This course aims to use as its content, different aspects of popular Bengali culture as they are represented in media (film, television, magazines, newspapers) and arts (fashion, local and regional art, music). Students will be expected to develop their linguistic skills (description, narration, supporting opinion) and socio-cultural awareness while interacting with these varied types of texts. Students will be allowed to work on individual texts & topics (with the instructors permission) for their final project. This is a one semester course. | BENG5500680 | 2024A | ||||||
| BENG 1500-681 | Advanced Bengali | Sreeparna Sarkar | MCNB 409 | TR 1:45 PM-3:14 PM | The objective of this course is to develop the proficiency level of the students in all the four skills by using different genres of Bengali literature (West Bengal and Bangladesh) s its course content. Reading comprehension will be enhanced as students learn to understand authentic texts at the linguistic and cultural level while discussion (description, narration, supporting opinion) on issues related to these texts aim to hone the oral and written skills. Studentswill be allowed to work on individual texts & topics(with the instructors permission)for their final project. This is a one semester course. Spring: Bengali Popular Culture- This course aims to use as its content, different aspects of popular Bengali culture as they are represented in media (film, television, magazines, newspapers) and arts (fashion, local and regional art, music). Students will be expected to develop their linguistic skills (description, narration, supporting opinion) and socio-cultural awareness while interacting with these varied types of texts. Students will be allowed to work on individual texts & topics (with the instructors permission) for their final project. This is a one semester course. | BENG5500681 | Penn Lang Center Perm needed | 2024A | ||||
| BENG 5200-680 | Beginning Bengali Part II | Haimanti Banerjee | WILL 24 | TR 5:15 PM-6:44 PM | This course introduces students to colloquial Bengali. It gives equal emphasis to each of the four skills, reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Language will be studied in the context of socio-cultural aspects of West Bengal and Bangladesh. Besides lessons from the text, a major portion of the syllabus will be based on topics drawn from films, cultural events, festivals, food, and religion. | BENG0200680 | 2024A | |||||
| BENG 5400-681 | Intermediate Bengali Part II | Sreeparna Sarkar | CANCELED | This course develops the student's prior knowledge of Bengali. An attempt is made to gear the syllabus to meet the specific needs of students. The focus of the course is to develop the oral and aural skills of the learner as well as improve writing skills and reading strategies. Emphasis is also laid on increasing the sociolinguistic and strategic competence of the learners so that they will be able to function in the target culture. Besides discussions on various aspects of Bengali life, students read some short literary texts in the original Bengali version. | BENG0400680 | 2024A | ||||||
| BENG 5500-680 | Advanced Bengali | Sreeparna Sarkar | CANCELED | The objective of this course is to develop the proficiency level of the students in all the four skills by using different genres of Bengali literature (West Bengal and Bangladesh) s its course content. Reading comprehension will be enhanced as students learn to understand authentic texts at the linguistic and cultural level while discussion (description, narration, supporting opinion) on issues related to these texts aim to hone the oral and written skills. Studentswill be allowed to work on individual texts & topics(with the instructors permission)for their final project. This is a one semester course. Spring: Bengali Popular Culture- This course aims to use as its content, different aspects of popular Bengali culture as they are represented in media (film, television, magazines, newspapers) and arts (fashion, local and regional art, music). Students will be expected to develop their linguistic skills (description, narration, supporting opinion) and socio-cultural awareness while interacting with these varied types of texts. Students will be allowed to work on individual texts & topics (with the instructors permission) for their final project. This is a one semester course. | BENG1500680 | 2024A | ||||||
| BENG 5500-681 | Advanced Bengali | Sreeparna Sarkar | MCNB 409 | TR 1:45 PM-3:14 PM | The objective of this course is to develop the proficiency level of the students in all the four skills by using different genres of Bengali literature (West Bengal and Bangladesh) s its course content. Reading comprehension will be enhanced as students learn to understand authentic texts at the linguistic and cultural level while discussion (description, narration, supporting opinion) on issues related to these texts aim to hone the oral and written skills. Studentswill be allowed to work on individual texts & topics(with the instructors permission)for their final project. This is a one semester course. Spring: Bengali Popular Culture- This course aims to use as its content, different aspects of popular Bengali culture as they are represented in media (film, television, magazines, newspapers) and arts (fashion, local and regional art, music). Students will be expected to develop their linguistic skills (description, narration, supporting opinion) and socio-cultural awareness while interacting with these varied types of texts. Students will be allowed to work on individual texts & topics (with the instructors permission) for their final project. This is a one semester course. | BENG1500681 | Penn Lang Center Perm needed | 2024A | ||||
| BENG 0100-680 | Beginning Bengali Part I | Haimanti Banerjee | WILL 4 | TR 5:15 PM-6:44 PM | This course introduces students to colloquial Bengali. It gives equal emphasis to each of the four skills, reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Language will be studied in the context of socio-cultural aspects of West Bengal and Bangladesh. Besides lessons from the text, a major portion of the syllabus will be based on topics drawn from films, cultural events, festivals, food, and religion. | BENG5100680 | 2023C | |||||
| BENG 0300-680 | Intermediate Bengali Part I | Sreeparna Sarkar | This course develops the student's prior knowledge of Bengali. An attempt is made to gear the syllabus to meet the specific needs of students. The focus of the course is to develop the oral and aural skills of the learner as well as improve writing skills and reading strategies. Emphasis is also laid on increasing the sociolinguistic and strategic competence of the learners so that they will be able to function in the target culture. Besides discussions on various aspects of Bengali life, students read some short literary texts in the original Bengali version. | BENG5300680 | Penn Lang Center Perm needed | 2023C | ||||||
| BENG 1500-680 | Advanced Bengali | Sreeparna Sarkar | The objective of this course is to develop the proficiency level of the students in all the four skills by using different genres of Bengali literature (West Bengal and Bangladesh) s its course content. Reading comprehension will be enhanced as students learn to understand authentic texts at the linguistic and cultural level while discussion (description, narration, supporting opinion) on issues related to these texts aim to hone the oral and written skills. Studentswill be allowed to work on individual texts & topics(with the instructors permission)for their final project. This is a one semester course. Spring: Bengali Popular Culture- This course aims to use as its content, different aspects of popular Bengali culture as they are represented in media (film, television, magazines, newspapers) and arts (fashion, local and regional art, music). Students will be expected to develop their linguistic skills (description, narration, supporting opinion) and socio-cultural awareness while interacting with these varied types of texts. Students will be allowed to work on individual texts & topics (with the instructors permission) for their final project. This is a one semester course. | BENG5500680 | Penn Lang Center Perm needed | 2023C | ||||||
| BENG 5100-680 | Beginning Bengali Part I | Haimanti Banerjee | WILL 4 | TR 5:15 PM-6:44 PM | This course introduces students to colloquial Bengali. It gives equal emphasis to each of the four skills, reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Language will be studied in the context of socio-cultural aspects of West Bengal and Bangladesh. Besides lessons from the text, a major portion of the syllabus will be based on topics drawn from films, cultural events, festivals, food, and religion. | BENG0100680 | 2023C | |||||
| BENG 5300-680 | Intermediate Bengali Part I | Sreeparna Sarkar | This course develops the student's prior knowledge of Bengali. An attempt is made to gear the syllabus to meet the specific needs of students. The focus of the course is to develop the oral and aural skills of the learner as well as improve writing skills and reading strategies. Emphasis is also laid on increasing the sociolinguistic and strategic competence of the learners so that they will be able to function in the target culture. Besides discussions on various aspects of Bengali life, students read some short literary texts in the original Bengali version. | BENG0300680 | Penn Lang Center Perm needed | 2023C | ||||||
| BENG 5500-680 | Advanced Bengali | Sreeparna Sarkar | The objective of this course is to develop the proficiency level of the students in all the four skills by using different genres of Bengali literature (West Bengal and Bangladesh) s its course content. Reading comprehension will be enhanced as students learn to understand authentic texts at the linguistic and cultural level while discussion (description, narration, supporting opinion) on issues related to these texts aim to hone the oral and written skills. Studentswill be allowed to work on individual texts & topics(with the instructors permission)for their final project. This is a one semester course. Spring: Bengali Popular Culture- This course aims to use as its content, different aspects of popular Bengali culture as they are represented in media (film, television, magazines, newspapers) and arts (fashion, local and regional art, music). Students will be expected to develop their linguistic skills (description, narration, supporting opinion) and socio-cultural awareness while interacting with these varied types of texts. Students will be allowed to work on individual texts & topics (with the instructors permission) for their final project. This is a one semester course. | BENG1500680 | Penn Lang Center Perm needed | 2023C | ||||||
| BENG 0400-680 | Intermediate Bengali Part II | Haimanti Banerjee | WILL 438 | TR 5:15 PM-6:44 PM | This course develops the student's prior knowledge of Bengali. An attempt is made to gear the syllabus to meet the specific needs of students. The focus of the course is to develop the oral and aural skills of the learner as well as improve writing skills and reading strategies. Emphasis is also laid on increasing the sociolinguistic and strategic competence of the learners so that they will be able to function in the target culture. Besides discussions on various aspects of Bengali life, students read some short literary texts in the original Bengali version. | BENG5400680 | 2023A | |||||
| BENG 5400-680 | Intermediate Bengali Part II | Haimanti Banerjee | WILL 438 | TR 5:15 PM-6:44 PM | This course develops the student's prior knowledge of Bengali. An attempt is made to gear the syllabus to meet the specific needs of students. The focus of the course is to develop the oral and aural skills of the learner as well as improve writing skills and reading strategies. Emphasis is also laid on increasing the sociolinguistic and strategic competence of the learners so that they will be able to function in the target culture. Besides discussions on various aspects of Bengali life, students read some short literary texts in the original Bengali version. | BENG0400680 | 2023A |