Multilingualism and Beyond in the European Context
On-site in Tartu, 18 - 29 July 2022, NEW!
Almost all language practices are multilingual in their nature since they include different languages, language varieties, genres, styles, so-called dialects, etc. In a highly globalised era characterised by emigration and the movement of people with different linguistic backgrounds, questions related to multilingualism are crucial for single individuals, immigrants who seek new homes and asylum in Europe, as well as for these hosting countries.
A relevant example is the wave of Ukrainian immigration in Europe and, in particular, Estonia. Despite sharing a common background, Ukrainians are characterised by extremely variegated language repertoires and linguistic skills that they accommodate in the hosting countries. When coming to Estonia, Ukrainians might use English (if they have enough proficiency in the language) but they can also communicate in Russian as both Estonians and Ukrainians have considerable L2 experience from the Soviet time. However, roughly 30% of the population constitutes a Russian-speaking minority in Estonia, and the young generation of Estonians mostly have only passive knowledge of Russian. In this case, it is also possible to employ Ukrainian while communicating with Estonians and reach an understanding via passive knowledge of Russian (e.g., mediated receptive multilingualism). Interlocutors can negotiate the meaning, combine code-switching with other language modes, etc., to make communication happen.
This course is particularly focused on the complexity of multilingualism in Estonia and the European context (based on a few examples). In particular, we aim to pay attention to how individuals use resources for their language repertoire to accommodate communication in the current context of emigration.
| Focus area: | Multilingualism, Sociolinguistics | Coordinating unit at UT |
Faculty of Arts and Humanities |
| Study Field: | European Languages and Cultures | Course Leader | Alessandra Dezi and Anna Branets, Ph.D. Students |
| Format | Summer Course | Location | Tartu, Estonia |
| Course dates: | 18-29 July 2022 | Apply by: | 19 June 2022 |
| ECTS: | 4 | Fee: | 400 EUR |
| Study | BA/MA/Ph.D. | Language | English |
Lecturers:
- Prof. Anna Verschik, Tallinn University
- Alessandra Dezi, Ph.D. Student of the University of Tartu
- Anna Branets, Ph.D. Student of the University of Tartu
Application period has ended. See you in 2023!
Two weeks prior to the start of the programme an information file will be sent to all participants. This file contains the daily schedule and relevant contact information of the programme managers.
Students are responsible for their travel, accommodation and travel insurance (visa arrangements if needed) from their home country to Tartu and back to their home country. It is recommended to visit the Tartu Welcome Centre website and arrival and housing section to find accommodation opportunities.
The University of Tartu will offer 20 tuition waivers (scholarships) altogether for citizens of Ukraine for all summer courses. It will cover the course fee and cultural programme. Accommodation and daily expenses are not included.
The selection process is going to be based on the motivation letter. In order to apply for the scholarship please submit your application to the summer course and upload a motivation letter (no longer than approx 1 A4 page).
