FALL 2022
GER 1120 – Elementary German I, multiple sections
For more information, contact: Dr. A. Dana Weber
Email: aweber@fsu.edu
Introduction to German. Oral comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing are stressed.
May not be taken by native speakers. Students with more than two years of high school German or the equivalent should consult the department for placement. May not be taken concurrently with GER 1110, 1111, 1121, or 2220. Can be taken concurrently with GET 3130 and GET 3524.
GER 1121 – Elementary German II, multiple sections
For more information, contact: Dr. A. Dana Weber
Email: aweber@fsu.edu
Introduction to German. Oral comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing are stressed.
Prerequisite: GER 1110 or 1120. May not be taken by native speakers. May not be taken concurrently with GER 1110, 1111, or 2220. Can be taken concurrently with GET 3130 and GET 3524.
GER 2220 – Intermediate German, multiple sections
For more information, contact: Dr. A. Dana Weber
Email: aweber@fsu.edu
Serves as final semester of the language requirement and as the transition to upper-level study. Contemporary reading matter, including films, slides, and recordings, serves as the basis for discussion. Prerequisite: GER 1121. May not be taken by native speakers. May not be taken concurrently with GER 1110, 1120, and/or 1121. Can be taken concurrently with GET 3130 and GET 3524.
GER 3400: Composition and Conversation
Instructor: Prof. Birgit Maier-Katkin
Office: Diffenbaugh 368
Email: bmaierkatkin@fsu.edu
Class Meetings: Tu/Th, 3:05-4:20 pm
Classroom: DIF 112
This course is designed for students who have completed GER 2220 or the equivalent. The objective is to bring the language skills from the intermediate level to the advanced level. Students have an opportunity to develop their ability to write and converse in German on topics of general interest. A student entering the advanced level can narrate and describe events in the present, future, and past (e.g., talk about past events, discuss plans, retell a story). In addition, students can express opinions (e.g., have an argument, participate in a discussion) as well as ask and answer questions and initiate, continue, and close a conversation. A student at the beginning advanced level can speak and write with enough grammatical accuracy that errors do not interfere with comprehension and do not contain mistakes made by beginners. This course is required for German majors, in addition it fulfills FSU’s Oral Communication Competency Requirement.
GET 3524: German Cinema—Nationalists, Socialists and Democrats:
The Many Faces of Germany on Film
Instructor: Prof. Christian Weber
Contact: cweber@fsu.edu, 850-645.7842
Office: DIF 316c
Class Meetings: M, 4:50-7:10 & W, 4:50-6:05
Classroom: WMS 0214
Germany experienced no less than five major regime changes during the past twentieth century: from German Empire to Weimar Republic to NS-Regime to Germany divided in Socialist GDR and Capitalist FRG and eventually reunited in its present state called the Berlin Republic. As such, it has lived through the decisive struggles of the modern and postmodern age, in fact at the forefront: the rise of nationalism, war, women’s emancipation, social clashes, race issues, the ‘Nazis’ and the Holocaust, ideological conflicts between communism and capitalism, migration and immigration, etc.
Accordingly, German cinema underwent strange transformations as well. This course examines its fascinating history from the silent era to the present and showcases some of the world’s greatest directors.
This course meets the Liberal Studies for the 21st Century competencies in the area of Thoughtful Patrons of and Participants in Cultural Practices and Diversity in Western Experience.
GER 3780: Phonetics
Instructor: Prof. Tatjana Soldat-Jaffe
Office: Diffenbaugh 308
Email: tsoldatjaffe@fsu.edu
Class Meetings: Tu/Th 9:45 – 11:00 am
Classroom: DIF 232
This course increases competence and proficiency in the German language. It acquaints students with the fundamentals of English-German comparative phonetics. The primary objective of this course is to strengthen and increase student’s previous abilities in the German language and to perfect competence and proficiency in German pronunciation and speaking. The course provides ample opportunity to practice spoken German and helps students to improve their ability to speak German with a close to native pronunciation.
Prerequisite: GER 2220 or placement test or instructor’s consent.
GEW4592/GEW5596: German Humor
Instructor: Prof. Birgit Maier-Katkin
Office: Diffenbaugh 368
Email: bmaierkatkin@fsu.edu
Class meetings: Th 4:50 – 7:50 pm
Classroom: TBA
Yes, Germans can be funny. This course covers a wide variety of German authors, among them philosophers and artists who created and discussed humor. We will read texts by Kurt Tucholsky, Karl Valentin, Erich Kästner, Friedrich Dürrenmatt, Thaddäus Troll, etc., view films and look at different genres in order to explore how humor is presented. With the help of Immanuel Kant and Arthur Schopenhauer, we will contemplate what processes are involved when one is confronted with humor.
This course is taught in German.
GEW 4591/GEW 5595: Discourse Analysis
Instructor: Prof. Tatjana Soldat-Jaffe
Office: Diffenbaugh 308
Email: tsoldatjaffe@fsu.edu
Class Meetings: Tu/Th 11:35 am – 12:50 pm
Classroom: DIF 214
Conversation analysis is concerned with the contexts in and the processes through which we use oral and written language for specific audiences, for specific purposes, in specific settings. The nature of conversations (how we express ourselves and how we are understood) change across cultures. The purpose of the course is to introduce students to theories and methods of conversation analysis. We will investigate how culture manifests itself in speech events of everyday conversation in German speaking communities. This course will explore patterns of conversations comparatively (English and German): For example, why do greetings differ across nations?, and how is answering the phone culture-specific, how do we save face and when do we lose face, how do we take turns?
GER 5060/5940 – Graduate Reading Knowledge in German/ Reading Knowledge Examination
Instructor: Ray Hattaway
Office: Diffenbaugh 316 b
Email: rhattawa@fsu.edu
Class Meetings: Mo/Wed 4:50 – 6:05 pm
Classroom: DIF 210
The focus of this course and/or exam is to enable students to develop techniques essential in attaining a proficiency in the reading and translation of German language. With the assistance of a good dictionary and traditional resources, students will be able to read and understand scholarly material in their respective fields. This course offers students a way to adequately prepare for the GER 5069 Graduate Reading Knowledge Exam (German) (please see below).
Texts: Richard Alan Korb, Jannach's German for Reading Knowledge, (6th edition - previous editions will not work) // Good German/English dictionary (required).
GER 5940 – Teaching Practicum
For more information, contact Prof. Birgit Maier-Katkin
Email: bmaierkatkin@fsu.edu