Turkish classes offered: Free, noncredit course teaches language
October 24, 2011
UK’s Turkish Student Association is offering a free, noncredit language course in elementary Turkish, beginning on Thursday.
The class is scheduled to meet each following Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. in White Hall Classroom Building, room 237.
The course is offered as a way to commemorate the 88th anniversary of Turkish Republic Day, and is open to all students at the university who wish to attend.
The classes will be instructed by Mehmet Saracoglu, a Ph.D. student, and some historical and cultural aspects of Turkey will be included as well.
“We hope this can become a permanent, for-credit language in the Linguistics Department,” Saracoglu said. “And in the broader perspective, perhaps establish sister schools within Turkey to encourage more diplomacy between our two countries, as well as generate more attention for international cultures on campus.”
The Turkish Student Association is an organization designed to share Turkish culture with other non-Turkish students, according to TSA President Ali Sadi Turabi.
Turabi is hopeful that the class will be a success, and will encourage others to get involved in activities with the association.
Haluk Karaca, the association’s faculty adviser, said the new language course is a great opportunity to learn a new language while simultaneously improving one’s portfolio.
“Turkey is a developing country that is very important globally, with many opportunities in the growing business sector.” Karaca said.
Saracoglu said he has noticed an immediate response to the class, and that the feedback so far has been very positive.
The class already has 25 students registered.
“We would love for more students to sign up,” Saracoglu said, “and if there are enough students, we may form another class at a different time.”
The Turkish language is one of the top 10 spoken languages in the world and is one of 13 languages listed under the Critical Language Scholarship program of the U.S. Department of State, according to the association.
For more information or to register, contact Mehmet Saracoglu.
