Language Department comes together

UAA’s Language Department held two talks, one day after another, to share the value of studying and speaking another language. The first talk, Tea Time Conversations on Language, Literatures and Cultures, was held in the Administration & Humanities Building on April 4. Students and teachers spoke about their experience with being in a language class and what it is like to teach a language.

West High School’s German teacher William Kimball spoke about how language classes naturally provide students with the practice of public speaking and good social etiquette. He also spoke about how most people fall in love with a language because they often first fall in love with the culture, as he reminisced on his upbringing in Europe.

“World language needs to fight!” said Kimball in response to how the department is facing the chopping block if students don’t recognize the value of language studies.

On April 5 in the ConocoPhillips Integrated Science Building, was the ASD+UAA Languages Meet & Greet, organized by the Chair of the Department of Languages, Professor Natasha Masanovic Courtney, also known as Frau Masanovic to her German students. The event was an open-mic style, and allowed anyone to speak about how studying languages affected their lives academically and personally. Students from different career paths spoke about how knowing a second language can help students for the better, and opens doors that would have otherwise been closed. Free language books, charms, pins and food were provided at the event as well.

Some favorite slang words from those in the Language Department include, “Das ist der Hammer,” by Kimball, which means something is awesome in German. “きも可愛い (Kimokawaii),” from Japanese professor Kaori Shimizu, to call something that is cute but unsettling at the same time. “Aguas!” from Spanish student Zoraleda Mendel, which is used to tell someone to be careful.