The Hungarian Language Program

The Hungarian courses at OSU concentrate on teaching all four language-skills (reading, writing, speaking, listening), with the main focus being on oral skills and the practical use of the language in everyday situations. To enhance the learning experience, cultural information is provided in order for students to gain a general picture of culture and life in Hungary. In addition to video clips, printed media and sound recordings, the internet is heavily relied on as a source of up-to-date cultural information.

Due to the relatively smaller size of classes, instruction remains rather informal, and each student is given personal attention and plenty of opportunity to practice the language and ask questions. Each section is only offered once years, with the advantage that students get to know each other much better and often develop life long friendships.

During four quarters of language learning, students acquire vital tools necessary for practical functioning in Hungarian. These skills include fundamental grammatical structures, and a vocabulary of approximately 2000 words. Concentration of the courses is centered on students being able to carry on a moderately sophisticated conversation in an appropriate fashion and style with native Hungarians on most everyday topics.

Over the past five years, students of Hungarian have come from a wide variety of backgrounds: graduate and undergraduate students from many different academic departments, as well as Central Ohio residents with Hungarian family background enrolled through the continuing education program.

Language instruction in the traditional classroom setting is supplemented with extra-curricular cultural activities:

• Quarterly Hungarian potluck dinners. An informal get-together of students and their Hungarian relatives plus an opportunity for everyone to try his or her hand at one of the famous recipes of Hungarian cuisine.
  
  
• Annual field trip to the Cleveland Hungarian Heritage Museum. This trip provides the opportunity for students to learn about the history of Hungarian emigration to the US.
  
  
• Bi-weekly Hungarian film series. Shown every quarter on campus, many of the movies shown have English subtitles and can be used as an important tool in both the language learning process and as a good way to get familiar with Hungary and its culture, history, and traditions.
• Bi-weekly Hungarian conversation table. A great opportunity to practice Hungarian outside of the classroom setting as well as to meet and interact with members of the local Hungarian community.
  
  
• Hungarian poetry and music recitals, featuring the works of Hungarian authors and composers, with the participation of students and enthusiastic members of the Columbus Hungarian community.
  
  

Why learn Hungarian???

• The Hungarian language is the gateway to Hungary's rich cultural heritage and fascinating and eventful history
• Hungarian is a language spoken by over 15 million people world-wide and is one of the official languages of the European Union
• Hungarians are a friendly people with a well-deserved reputation for hospitality and great cuisine
• Hungary is a beautiful country to visit, and one where most people don't speak English, so Hungarian can be a useful tool
• Chances are, it's the language of your ancestors and many of your relatives
• Hungarian fulfills the GEC foreign language requirement
• Several excellent study abroad opportunities in Hungary including summer language courses and whole-year programs are available at OSU
• Hungary is a developing market economy that offers many research and business opportunities
• Linguistically, Hungarian is a fascinating and exotic language, where words are put together from small semantic building blocks

On-line information on Hungary and the Hungarian language

Hungarian online dictionary: http://dict.sztaki.hu/english-hungarian

Hungarian online course (including pronunciation guide): http://www.ku.edu/~magyar/courses/103/index.shtml

News from Hungary in English: http://www.budapestsun.com

News from Hungary in Hungarian: http://www.nepszava.hu

Watch Hungarian television: http://www.tv2.hu

Listen to Hungarian radio: http://www.inforadio.hu

Hungary-information for visitors: http://www.gotohungary.com

A plethora of Hungary-related Web sites can be found at: http://www.indiana.edu/~iuihsl/homethisisoldbutgoodone.html