EUTOPIA Languages Week 2024

These events will take place online or in hybrid format and are open to the whole alliance.

Monday 4 March

 

• UW - 11:00-12:00 CET: Opening + Plenary Talk by Prof Peter L. Patrick:  Issues in Language Analysis of Asylum Cases involving Arabic speakers
  Since 1993, governments have relied on language analysis in asylum claims. Language Analysis for Determination of Origin (LADO) has been commercialized and adopted by many governments, through internal bureaux or by outsourcing. The key sociolinguistic question concerns the language socialization of native speakers into (multilingual) speech communities. This talk describes the evolution and practice of LADO, examining actual (anonymized) cases of Arabic-speaking asylum seekers in the UK refugee status determination process. Issues influencing LADO cases include forensic linguistic expertise – its availability, use and reception – and the language beliefs and ideologies of decision-makers.
  Register.
• SU - 12:00-13:00 CET: Language Taster session South African Sign Language
  Discover the basics of South African Sign Language in this online session. This is your chance to explore the world of SASL in a fun and interactive environment. Join us and start your sign language journey today!
  Register.
• UL - 17:00-18:00 CET: Language Café English & French
  EUTOPIA’s Language Café is an excellent opportunity for learners of French and English to have a virtual discussion via MS Teams with students from other universities of the alliance. Your conversations, aimed to enhance your speaking and interpersonal skills, will be recorded and available to use as research material by the students of Discourse Analysis.
  Register.

Tuesday 5 March

 

• UL - 13:00-14:00 CET: Language Café French & German
  EUTOPIA’s Language Café is an excellent opportunity for learners of French and German to have a virtual discussion via MS Teams with students from other universities of the alliance. 
  Register.
• UNIVE - 15:00-16:30 CET: Io vado al museo / Müzeye gidiyorum / I go to the museum / Я ЙДУ В МУЗЕЙ / Je vais au musée / Mo lo si museum /أذهب إلى المتحف: Plurilingual workshop at the museum 
  Have you ever been asked to use all the languages you know in a public space? Did you know that using all your languages could open the window to unexplored memories and associations...even those related to artworks in museums? Have you ever visited the Peggy Guggenheim Collection in Venice Conducted by a museum educator and a researcher,  participants will be involved in activities aimed at discovering and creating (new) meanings related to the museum objects while also drawing connections between different languages and cultures. Limited spaces available.
  Register.
• SU - 17:00-18:00 CET: Afrikaans Poetry Showcase (VERRAS)
  Students of the department will discuss in 30 minutes what Afrikaans means to them. The next 30 minutes they will read of their poetry depicting the different varieties of Afrikaans. Poems written by students will showcase the broad cultural diversity in Afrikaans.
  Register.

Wednesday 6 March

 

• SU - 9:00-10:30 CET: An introductory exploration of developing intercultural competence 
  In today's globalized world, the ability to navigate cultural differences with empathy, respect, & understanding is essential for personal growth and professional success. This interactive session offers a dynamic exploration of identity, communication styles, and cultivating intercultural sensitivity. 
  Register.
• SU - 12:00-12:50 CET: Translation and Culture – a lecture and discussion
  Let's chat about how culture influences translation! A group of new Translation Studies students will share examples and strategies in a friendly discussion. We'll explore how understanding culture is key to translating well. Join us for a simple yet insightful conversation! 
  Register.
• UW - 15:00-17:00 CET: Roundtable: University Alliances as Agents of Change for Multilingual Education: Reality of Utopia?
  Multilingualism is a foundational pillar of Europe’s identity and ethos. European University Alliances are the EU’s instrument to re-design & re-imagine the modern ‘European Universities’. In order to fulfil their mission, EUAs need to make a difference in multilingual education. This panel proposes an inter-alliance discussion on barriers/enablers and ways in which we can collaborate to achieve multilingual education in practice. Profs. Dendrinos, Corino, Szabo, Kriaučiūnienė, & Angouri will discuss opportunities for a linguistically inclusive society.
  Register.
• UL - 17:00-18:00 CET: Language Café Italian & Spanish
  EUTOPIA’s Language Café is an excellent opportunity for learners of Italian and Spanish to have a virtual discussion via MS Teams with students from other universities of the alliance. 
  Register.

Thursday 7 March

• SU - 10:00-11:00 CET: Language policy at Dutch universities
  Language proficiency by law? Prof Carel Jansen will reflect on the developments regarding language requirements for university programmes in the Netherlands, & invite discussion from the audience about their experiences in their contexts.
  Register.
• SU - 12:00-12:45 CET: Relationality in Antjie Krog's poems about faeries and fynbos
  Step into the enchanting world of Antjie Krog's fairy poems, where fairies and elves dance among South African plant species. This engaging presentation unfolds the literary magic of Krog navigating the question of indigeneity, all while charmingly educating young readers about plants & celebrating the rich human diversity in South Africa through her poetic tales.
  Register
• SU - 12:00-12:45 CET: Navigating Multilingualism as Language Educators at Stellenbosch University 
  This interactive session aims to highlight the strategies Higher Education pre-service teaching students in a South African context could use as a means of empowering large and diverse communities in the multilingual environments they will work in.
  Register.
• UL - 13:00-14:00 CET: Language Café English & Spanish
  EUTOPIA’s Language Café is an excellent opportunity for learners of English & Spanish to have a virtual discussion via MS Teams with students from other universities of the alliance.
  Register.
• UPF - 14:30-16:30 CET: Cultural Journalism
  Following the current exhibition “Course of the Events. An Atlas of the Foto Colectania Collection”, students have to create a personal Atlas made up of 15 photographs that represent their personal world and its format. This activity proposes the use of visual language to foster generational dialogue between international students and make personal references visible. 
  Speakers: Prof Ruth Rodriguez and students
  Join here
• UPF - 15:30-16:30 CET: 'I feel good! I’m multilingual'. A conversation around the ins and outs of multilingualism
  Carmen Perez and Sharon Gutierrez will discuss some of the dimensions of multilingualism. The discussion will start with the personal dimension, in particular the language and identity link in bi/multilingual practices, and the concept of international or cosmopolitan posture. Next they will offer an overview of the sociolinguistic dimension, with a special emphasis on the controversial role of English as a Lingua Franca (ELF). They will finally focus on languages and mobility activities.
  Join here
• UW - 16:00-17:00 CET: Roundtable: Language professionals in the times of AI
  The launch of ChatGPT and other generative AI tools are rapidly changing the reality of work, including language-related professions. It is common for people to ask whether we need languages and what the value is of studying language programmes. As AI continues to reshape industries, this discussion brings together experts, language professionals and technology enthusiasts to delve into the challenges and opportunities AI presents for language professionals & graduates.
  Speakers: Language/localisation professionals from Uber, Kiva, Frontier Developments & Scaled Agile Inc.
  Register.

Friday 8 March

• SU - 12:00-12:45 CET: Justifying the introduction and visibility of tone signs in the teaching of reading isiXhosa L2 to non-mother tongue students 
  Join us for an insightful presentation by Stembele Johnson, isiXhosa lecturer at the Language Centre, where she will be sharing her research on ways in which the visibility of tone can be used to make learning isiXhosa easier for second-language speakers.
  Register.

Pre Languages Week Activity

• UPF - 20 February, 16:00-17:30 CET: Dia Pompeu Fabra: "La Setmana de les Llengües EUTOPIA celebra el multilingüisme i totes les llengües parlades a Europa"
  A tennis player challenges the public in the room: can you play tennis without rules? In sport, as in language, you need to share some rules and accept them to play well. Pompeu Fabra, a passionate tennis player, proposed some rules for the Catalan language that were accepted and shared by everyone. This is the starting point of a show that uses the sports metaphor to introduce us to the scientific, human and citizen dimension of the organizing genius of the Catalan language.
  Join here.

Recurring Activities

• UPF - 19 February to 8 March: MOOC “Catalan for Beginners: One Day with Ella”
  Do you want to learn Catalan, discover Barcelona, and know more about Catalan cuisine, music, and traditions, all from the comfort of your home? Now it's possible with the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) 'Catalan for Beginners' organized by UPF, open to all EUTOPIA members as well. This online Catalan course aims to provide basic lexical and grammatical resources so that you can communicate in a variety of day-to-day situations. It's free, open to anyone interested in the Catalan language and culture. This MOOC is taught by professors at UPF who will accompany you at all times and provide anything you might need.
  Register.
• SU - Monday 4 to Friday 8 March, 10:00-11:00 CET: Introduction to isiXhosa: A crash course
  Explore the basics of isiXhosa in our quick introduction course! Join for one hour per day, five days in a row – attending all sessions is a great idea. Learn the essentials of the language and discover the unique culture of IsiXhosa in a simple and fun way. Join us for this short adventure into isiXhosa! 
  Register.
• SU - Wednesday 6 & Thursday 7 March, 8:00-10:00 CET: Introduction to Afrikaans: A taster course
  Discover the basics of Afrikaans in two 120-minute online sessions. The second session builds on the first one, so do join both for a complete experience. You will learn functional Afrikaans and get some insight into Afrikaans culture in bite-sized lessons from an experienced presenter with over 20 years of know-how. Start your Afrikaans journey here and get ready for a fun and informative experience.
  Register.

These events will take place internally and in person at the institution running them.
 

Activities at the VUB

All the VUB film screenings below are on a drop-in basis, no need to register in advance, just show up!

• Monday 4 March, 14:00 CET, Film Screening: The Farewell (Chinese & English)
  Introduction: Jianwei Xu & Julie Deconinck
  Venue: P2.0.05
• Monday 4 March, 18:30 CET, Film Screening: Little Miss Sunshine (English)
  Introduction: Bastien De Clercq & Kendall Robertson
  Venue: D.0.02
• Tuesday 5 March, 14:00 CET, Film Screening: Romanzo Criminale (Italian)
  Introduction: Ann Peeters
  Venue: I.2.02
• Wednesday 6 March, 18:00 CET, Film Screening: Tesis (Spanish)
  Speakers: Guillermo Sanz Gallego, Sabela Moreno Pereiro, Jasper Vandenberghe
  Venue: D.0.05
• Thursday 7 March, 12:00 CET, Film Screening: Intouchables (French)
  Introduction: Tatiana Pieters
  Venue: D.3.15
• Friday 8 March, 13:00 CET, Film Screening: Como agua para chocolate (Spanish) 
  Introduction: Diana Castilleja & Samantha Pérez Rodríguez 
  Venue: D.2.10

Activities at the UPF

• 20 February, 16:00-17:30 CET: Dia Pompeu Fabra: "La Setmana de les Llengües EUTOPIA celebra el multilingüisme i totes les llengües parlades a Europa"
  A tennis player challenges the public in the room: can you play tennis without rules? In sport, as in language, you need to share some rules& accept them to play well. Pompeu Fabra, a passionate tennis player, proposed some rules for the Catalan language that were accepted and shared by everyone. This is the starting point of a show that uses the sports metaphor to introduce us to the scientific, human & citizen dimension of the organizing genius of the Catalan language.
  Venue: Sala polivalent del campus de la Ciutadella
  Register.
• Monday 4 March & Wednesday 6 March, 10:30-12:30 CET, Intercultural Spaces, Languages and Identities Student Conference
  In this conference UG students from the UPF course “Intercultural Spaces, Languages and Identitites” taught by Prof Mireia Trenchs, will present the research they carried out as their research project. Through this project students have developed their understanding of (1) socialization spaces that are shared by interlocutors from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds, and (2) how to investigate such spaces by conducting an original piece of research whose results may be transferred to society. The exploration of these spaces has been undertaken from transdisciplinary perspective that includes concepts & methods from (critical) discourse analysis, (educational) sociolinguistics, applied linguistics, linguistic anthropology, & social psychology.
  Presenters: Prof Mireia Trenchs & students taking the subject
  Activity open to the public at the UPF campus.

Activities at CY

• Wednesday 6 March, 14:00 CET, TOEIC: Tips for success
  Get all the tips to pass your TOEIC exam with flying colours! An ETS Global representative will be there to answer your questions.
  Join here
• Wednesday 6 March, 15:00 CET, Language Learning: be more efficient!
  Join Global Exam & Altissia representatives to learn how to be more efficient when learning a new language.
  Join here
• Thursday 7 March, 8:30 CET, Writing Workshop Français/English
  Come participate in an online collaborative experience about diversity and ecological & linguistic sustainability.
  Join here
• Friday 8 March, 17:00 CET, “Go for it!” Table ronde en anglais et en français sur la mobilité étudiante – l’expérience d’une vie !
  CY & VUB students will share their experience & tips about mobility.
  Join here

Activities at Warwick

Register for all your Warwick events HERE.

• Friday 1 March, 16:00 - 19:00 GMT: Languages Games Night
  Join us for a fun, linguistically very diverse evening with classics such as Scrabble, Taboo and other board games, but also a quiz, a cockroach xylophone, silly games where you have to jump, run and twist to win, a treasure hunt and cool prizes for the winners. There will also be playful introductions to different languages such as German, French, Spanish, Italian and Arabic if you‘re up for a challenge.
  Venue: FAB, 4th floor
• Monday 4 March, 10:00 - 11:00 GMT: Opening & Plenary Talk: Issues in Language Analysis of Asylum Cases involving Arabic speakers
  Plenary talk by Prof Peter L. Patrick (University of Essex)
  Since 1993, governments have relied on language analysis in asylum claims. Language Analysis for Determination of Origin (LADO) has been commercialized and adopted by many governments, through internal bureaux or by outsourcing (primarily to Swedish firms). The key sociolinguistic question concerns the language socialization of native speakers into (multilingual) speech communities. This talk describes the evolution and practice of LADO, examining actual (anonymized) cases of Arabic-speaking asylum seekers in the UK refugee status determination process. Issues influencing LADO cases include forensic linguistic expertise – its availability, use and reception – and the language beliefs and ideologies of decision-makers.
  Venue: S0.11
• Monday 4 March, 17:00-19:30 GMT: Film Screening: Volver by Pedro Almodóvar
  After her death, a mother returns to her home town in order to fix the situations she couldn't resolve during her life. This award-winning, thought-provoking film catches Pedro Almodovar and Penelope Cruz at the peak of their respective powers.
  Introduction: Dr Tom Whittaker
  Venue: FAB0.08  
• Tuesday 5 March, 17:00 - 19:00 GMT: Translation Slam hosted by Rosalind Harvey
  Come and see professional translators in friendly competition to produce translations of the same literary text & compare & contrast the process of translating. Hosted by critically acclaimed literary translator Rosalind Harvey.
  Venue: LIB2
• Wednesday 6 March, 14:00 - 17:00 GMT: Language Taster Sessions
  Come try a new language!
  Venue: FAB4.03 area
• Friday 8 March, 15:00 GMT, Translation Technology & Language Barriers in Healthcare Settings
  Convenors: Dr Susana Valdez
  Venue: OC0.02

Activities at Stellenbosch University

To register for any of Stellenbosch's in-person events, please click HERE.

• Monday 4 March, 16:00-18:00 (SAST): An Exploration of Modern Chinese Relationships through the film screening of: 爱情神话 (B for Busy)
  The romantic comedy "B for Busy," directed by Shao Yihui in 2021, has garnered notable acclaim within the Chinese cinematic landscape. Its unforeseen success is attributed to the innovative perspective of director Shao Yihui regarding middle-aged romance and the nuanced development of female characters. Situated against the backdrop of Shanghai's former French Concession, the narrative revolves around a cohort of "old friends," portraying a poignant narrative encompassing love, camaraderie, and familial bonds, punctuated with moments of both levity and pathos. Premiering in mainland China on December 24, 2021, the film received commendation at the 3rd Lushan International Love Film Week in August 2022 and secured a nomination for Best Feature Film at the 35th China Golden Rooster Awards in November 2022. 
  Contact: Mikaela Keen (mkeen@sun.ac.za)
  Venue: Room 102, Buro van die WAT, 115 Banghoek Rd
• Monday 4 March, 17:30-20:30 (SAST): Language Café
  Students are invited to join an evening of games and connection to informally practice the language they are learning with other language learners and first language speakers. The languages represented at the Language Café will include all those languages that are taught at Stellenbosch University, through degree programmes or partner institutions. Currently, this list includes English, isiXhosa, Afrikaans, German, French, Dutch, Mandarin Chinese and Japanese.
  Facilitators: Sanet de Jager (sdejager@sun.ac.za), Fatima Halday
  Venue: Kleine Bosch, 44 Banghoek Road, Stellenbosch 
• Tuesday 5 March, 10:00-12:00 (SAST): Learn how to use basic isiXhosa
  Learn how to greet, introduce yourself and form basic sentences in isiXhosa. Practise the three clicks!  During the two hours you will learn how to start a basic conversation in isiXhosa and end the conversation in basic, appropriate isiXhosa. A list of important nouns and verbs will be provided to assist you to form your own sentences. The correct pronunciation of the three clicks will be practised.
  Facilitators: Jana Nel (jananel@sun.ac.za)
  Venue: Room 3008, GG Cillié Building 
• Tuesday March, 13:00-14:00 (SAST): Promoting Multilingualism through Learning isiXhosa
  Simunye - We are One: To break socio-linguistic and cultural barriers through language acquisition.
  Speaker: Dr Zameka Sijadu (sijadu@sun.ac.za)
  Venue: TBD
• Tuesday 5 March, 18:00-19:00 (SAST): Afrikaans Poetry Showcase (VERRAS) 
  Students of the department will discuss in 30 minutes what Afrikaans means to them. The next 30 minutes they will read of their poetry depicting the different varieties of Afrikaans. Poems written by students will showcase the broad cultural diversity in Afrikaans.
  Contact: Courtneigh van Ess (courtneigh@sun.ac.za)
  Venue: TBD
• Wednesday 6 March, 13:00-13:50 (SAST): Translation and Culture – a lecture and discussion
  Culture is an integral factor in translation practice and scholarship. A group of new Translation Studies students will discuss some examples and strategies.
  Contact: Marius Swart (mariusswart@sun.ac.za)
  Venue: TBD
• Thursday 7 March, 13:00-13:45 (SAST): Navigating Multilingualism as Language Educators at Stellenbosch University
  The Stellenbosch University’s Language Policy (2021) highlights its institutional commitment to focus on the three official languages of the Western Cape Province by applying and enhancing the academic value of Afrikaans, English and isiXhosa. Join language educators of the Stellenbosch University’s Faculty of Education Curriculum Studies Department as we share our experiences using innovative initiatives to support our multilingual pre-service teaching students across the three institutional languages. This interactive session aims to highlight the strategies Higher Education pre-service teaching students in a South African context could use as a means of empowering large and diverse communities in multilingual environments they will work in.
  Contact: Shannon Bishop-Swart (sbishop@sun.ac.za)
  Venue: TBD
• Thursday 7 March, 17:30-20:30 (SAST): Afrikaans Film evening - Jagveld 
  Staff and students can sign up to watch a film at The Neelsie. The screening of the film will be followed by a discussion.
  Contact: Helga Sykstus (hbuys@sun.ac.za)
  Venue: Neelsie Cinema
• Friday 8 March, 12:30-14:00 (SAST): Multilingual Karaoke 
  Staff and students can sign up on the spot for a turn to sing a song in a language of their choice. Spotify/Apple Music/YouTube for lyrics. 
  Contact: Jaydey Sass (jsass@sun.ac.za)
  Venue: Neelsie Cinema