Languages
German
Germany, positioned at the heart of Europe, is a confluence of science, art and philosophy. Additionally, the Germans are known for their discipline, punctuality and precision. Germany has always been known for its engineering precision and technological wizardry. Benz, BMW, Bosch, Daimler, Siemens and many more have made Germany the largest economy in all of Europe. In today’s socio-political landscape, Germany is proving to be a major stabilizing force; with a sensitive heart towards humanitarian and environmental causes.
About 33% population of the European Union speaks German, including countries like Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Liechtenstein and Luxembourg, where it is the official language.
It is therefore not surprising that the German language is one of the most fervently taught languages in the world today. Although misconstrued as a tough and hard-to-pronounce language, it is in fact a rather melodious one, with clear and strong intonations.
The Germans are proud about their language and are very particular about the pronunciation. There are many dialects, but we will learn Hochdeutsch
or standard German, which helps one to watch German films, listen to German Music or podcasts, converse with native speaker.
You will learn the basics of the language along with songs, short films, group activities etc. Some interesting facts about Germany, Switzerland and Austria makes the learning enjoyable.
Stay home, stay safe and upgrade yourself!
French
FRENCH is spoken in many countries - not just in France! It is the official language in Switzerland, Belgium, Canada, Seychelles, Morocco, Ivory Coast - to name just a few. In fact, it is the only language spoken on all five continents.
The French are very proud of their language and will immediately warm to you if you speak it - even if you make a few mistakes. Since there are no hard consonants in the French language, it is easy on the ear. It is a language of precision and musicality.
At IIT Kanpur, we have a small French library which houses books, magazines, comics (yes, you can read Tintin
and Asterix
in French !) and CDs.
Our aim is to teach you how to read, write and speak French. It is a language that will open up a host of opportunities - in the tourism industry, hotel management, airlines, international banks, Indo-French collaborations, teaching..... It will help you enjoy French literature and cinema, understand research papers in Mathematics.
Come, discover this language. It will help you relax and have fun, make you multilingual and throw open many doors for you.