Lahore University of Management Sciences
Course code – SALT 112
The Art of Reading and Writing Urdu
Spring 2016
Instructor
Room No.
Office Hours
Email
Telephone
Secretary/TA
TA Office
Hours
Course URL (if
any)
Ahmad Bilal Awan
282(D-10)
[email protected]
0302-4502110
Yes
Yes
Course Basics
Credit Hours
Lecture(s)
Recitation/Lab (per
week)
Tutorial (per week)
Course Distribution
Core
Elective
Open for Student
Category
Close for Student
Category
4
28
Nbr of Lec(s) Per
Week
Nbr of Lec(s) Per
Week
Duration 14 Weeks
Duration
Duration
SALT
Yes
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Urdu as a language has produced masterpieces in literary texts and also possesses the capacity to express
and discuss higher academic and philosophical problems and concerns. The material that exists in the Urdu
language in terms of its poetry, fiction: novel – short story, drama and critical and academic writings would
validate this statement. However, many are not aware of this fact, especially students educated in modern
Lahore University of Management Sciences
school systems in Pakistan where Urdu is taught as a second language. A large segment of students in LUMS
comes from this background. On the other hand, the public sector universities which possess established
Urdu language departments have not yet been able to produce or prepare students, well equipped with
modern tools and methods to explore and study literary tests of Urdu that could establish their literary and
academic authenticity in the modern world academia.
Keeping this situation in view this course is designed to enhance the reading and writing skills of students
who have a background of studying Urdu as a second language in schools, more commonly known as schools
where the medium of instruction is English or those geared towards O and A level or IB programs.
To this end, the main emphasis would be on selected Urdu texts - journalistic, literary and academic- the
close reading of which, with the help of modern hermeneutic tools, will bring students closer to the genius
and delicacy of the Urdu language and its literature. Along with textual study, students will learn the basics of
Urdu grammar, idioms, proverbs and phrases. This will extend their pool of Urdu vocabulary and develop
their skills to appreciate any kind of Urdu text.
Students would be enrolled through a selection process and only students with a weak background in Urdu
would be enrolled in this course.
COURSE Anti-PREREQUISITE(S)
Only those students will be enrolled in this course whose Urdu is not up to the mark in terms of
reading and writing. The maximum class capacity would be 20.

COURSE OBJECTIVES



The objectives and goals of this course are manifold:
• Students will become familiar with Urdu literature through close text reading of excerpts
or pieces from the works of its foremost exponents.
•
They will discover the literary delicacy, spiritual elevation, philosophical depth and deep
social insight expressed in Urdu literature.
•
Text reading and its analysis is itself a literary art. They will learn the method of close
reading of a literary text.
•
They will learn the basics of Urdu grammar, without using its terminology, which is the
fundamental tool to learn any language effectively.
•
They will develop their writing skills.
•
There is a segment of students here who desire to study Urdu literature but are not
confident about their skills in the language. They feel, and they have expressed this at
various occasions that their competition with students with a better background of Urdu
Lahore University of Management Sciences
could adversely affect their grades, which is what keeps them from opting for Urdu
literature courses. This course would equip such students with the necessary skills for
taking up Urdu literature courses at LUMs.
Methodology & Requirements



This is an activity based or workshop type of course. Every lecture will be divided into two parts.
In the first part, students will read the particular text selected for that session. In the second
part, they will write something either based on the text, read in the first part or on general and
everyday issues. It would require full engagement with the texts, so that the class time could be
used productively through an interactive discussion based on the text. This would help students
organize their thoughts and express them in an appropriate manner. Regular attendance would
be very important.
Grading Breakup and Policy
Assignment(s):
Home Work: Quiz(s):
Daily Reading & writing: 20+25=45%
Attendance: 5%
Midterm Examination: 25%
Project:
Final Examination: 25%
Examination Detail
Midterm
Exam
Yes/No: Yes
Combine/Separate:
Duration:
Exam Specifications:
Yes/No: Yes
Combine :
Final Exam
Duration:
Exam Specifications:
COURSE OVERVIEW
Lahore University of Management Sciences
Week/
Lecture/
Module
Topics
a: Mutual introduction, course introduction and its methodology and
approach.
b: We will start the text reading with ‫ الف لیلی‬which is the Urdu
rendition of the Arabic classic known as The Arabian Nights. It is
equally popular in Urdu.
(2)
a: Close reading of the text ‫الف لیلی‬
b: Vocabulary: meanings of all difficult words(Urdu to Urdu) used in
the text.
c: Grammar:
1-The use of ‫ ہے‬and ‫ ہیں‬in sentences- five for each.
2-The use of ‫کے اور کی‬،‫ کا‬in sentences- five for each
Recommend
ed
Readings
As suggested
3- The use of ‫یہ‬and ‫ یا‬in sentences- five for each
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
d: A list of ten Urdu idioms (‫ ا‬and ‫ ) ا‬and their correct usage in
sentences.
(1)
a: Close reading of an Urdu column‫ ایک شہری کا ایثار‬by Nazir Naaji, a
well-known writer and columnist.
b: Vocabulary: meanings of difficult words
c: Grammar: The use of ‫ یہ‬and ‫ یا‬in sentences- five for each.
(2)
a: Close reading of a column‫ فریب ِ نظر‬by Atta ul Haq Qasmi
b: Vocabulary: meanings of difficult words
c: Grammar:
1-The use of ‫ گے‬and ‫ گئے‬in sentences- five for each.
2- The use of ‫ نہ‬and ‫ نا‬in sentences- five for each.
3- - The use of ‫ چا ہیے‬and ‫چاہئیں‬in sentences- five for each.
d :A list of Urdu Proverbs of everyday use
(1)
a: Close reading of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan’s essay‫ُگزرا ہوا زمانہ‬
b: Vocabulary: meanings of difficult words
(2)
a: Close reading of a short story ‫یہ پری چہرہ لوگ‬by Ghulam Abbas
b: Vocabulary: meanings of difficult words
c: A list of fifty Urdu words used in everyday life
(1)
a: Close reading of a column‫ سات بجا رہا ہے‬by Javaid Chaudhry
As suggested
As suggested
As suggested
Objective
s/
Applicati
on
Lahore University of Management Sciences
b: Vocabulary: meanings of difficult words
c: Ten to twenty sentences based on the text read above
(2)
a: Close rading of an excerpt ‫وزیرے چنیں‬from a book by Col.
Muhammad Khan
b: Vocabulary: meanings of difficult words
c: A list of Urdu idioms (‫ت‬, ‫ پ‬, ‫ )ب‬and their correct usage in sentences
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
(1)
a: Close reading of a humorous essay ‫ ُکتے‬by a famous humor writer
‫پطرس بخاری‬
b: Vocabulary: meanings of difficult words
c: Readers/students’ response on this reading( at least 10 sentences)
(2)
a: Close reading of Saadat Hassan Manto’s short story ‫یزید‬
b: Vocabulary: meanings of difficult words
c: Readers/students’ response on this reading( at least 10 sentences)
(1)
a: Close reading of ‫ کچرا بابا‬by Krishan Chander
b: Vocabulary: the meanings of difficult words
c: Reader/students response on this reading (at least 10-15 sentences)
(2)
a: Close reading of Ahmad Nadeem Qasmi’s short story ‫بَین‬
b: Vocabulary: meanings of difficult words
c: Readers/students’ response on this reading (at least 10-15
sentences)
d: A list of Urdu idioms (‫خ‬،‫ح‬،‫چ‬،‫)ج‬
d: A list of words used in our everyday social life (50-100 words)
(1)
a: Close reading of Khalida Husain’s short story ‫مصروف عورت‬
b: Close reading of a short story ‫ الٹری‬by Prem Chand
b: Vocabulary: meanings of difficult words
c: Readers/students’ response on this reading (at least 10-15
sentences)
d: Grammar: the problem of ‫تذکیر و تا نیث‬. A list of Urdu words with
their correct use according to their gender
e: A list of Urdu idioms (‫ڈ‬،‫)د‬and their correct usage in sentences
(2)
a: Close reading of an excerpt from Shuhrat Bukhari’s book ‫ہووں‬
ٔ ‫کھوئے‬
‫کی ُجستجو‬
b: Vocabulary: meanings of difficult words
c: Readers/students’ response on this reading (at least 10-15
sentences)
As suggested
As suggested
As suggested
Lahore University of Management Sciences
d: A list of often used Urdu proverbs and phrases and their correct
usage in everyday life
(1)
As suggested
a: Close reading of Intizaar Husain’ short story ‫رشی قصائی کے چرنوں میں‬
b: Vocabulary: meanings of difficult words
c: Readers/students’ response on this reading (at least 10-15
sentences)
d: A list of Urdu singular-plural (‫)واحد جمع‬
e: A list of Urdu synonyms(‫)مترادف الفاظ‬
Week 8 (2)
a: Close reading of a short story ‫ بھوال‬by Rajindar Singh Bedi
b: Vocabulary: meanings of difficult words
c: Readers/students’ response on this reading (at least 10-15
sentences)
d: A list of idioms (‫ )ر تا غ‬with their correct usage in sentences
e: A list of Urdu Antonyms)‫(الفاظ متضاد‬
f: A list of Urdu Homophones(‫)مشابہ الفاظ‬
(1)
As suggested
a: Close reading of Muhammad Hussain Azad’s famous essay ‫انسان کسی‬
‫حال میں خوش نہیں رہتا‬
b: Students will write 200 to 300 words about the central theme of this
essay.
C: All compounds (‫ ) مرکب الفاظ‬will be derived from this reading
d: Vocabulary: meanings of difficult words
Week 9
e: 10 to 20 sentences of difficult words
f: A list of idioms )‫(ف تا گ‬with their correct usage in sentences
(2)
a: Close reading of an excerpt from ‫واز دوست‬
ِ ‫ ا‬by Mukhtar Masood
ُ
b: Close reading of an excerpt(1) from ‫ اب ِ گم‬by Mushtaq Ahmad Yusufi
c: A written assignment(200 to 300 words) will be given to students
based on two excerpts by these two masters of Urdu prose.
(1)
As suggested
a: Close reading of an excerpt(2) from ‫ اب ِ ُگم‬by Mushtaq Ahmad Yusufi
b: Close reading of an excerpt ‫ سوچ کے سفر میں سوال‬taken from ‫ارزوئے‬
‫ ُحسن‬by Naseer Ahmad Nasir
b: A short written assignment based on the excerpt mentioned above
c. Urdu idioms(‫)ل تا ہ‬
Week 10
(2)
a: Students will write about the major characteristics of Urdu prose
through the lenses of what they have learned so far in this quick and
brief survey of Urdu prose.
b: Students will be provided a lot of material in terms of social, ethical,
scientific, religious, geographical, academic, philosophical and literary
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vocabulary used in everyday life
(1)
a: Guest Speaker: A renowned Urdu poet will speak about poetry and
read his/her poetry.
b: Students may ask questions about poetry and poetic experience
(2)
Week 11 a: Close reading of a few classical famous Ghazals:
)‫(میر‬
‫اُلٹی ہو گئیں ہو گئیں سب تدبیریں کچھ نہ دوا نے کام کیا‬
ؔ
)‫(میر‬
‫اپنی حباب ہستی کی سی ہے‬
ؔ
)‫(غالب‬
‫کوئی اُمید بر نہیں اتی‬
ؔ
)‫(غالب‬
‫ابن ِ مریم ہوا کرے کوئی‬
ؔ
(1)
a: Students will learn the use of ‫اضافت‬
b: A list of often used expressions in Urdu poetry
(2)
a:
Week 12 Close reading of some of Iqbal’s poetry:
)‫(غزل‬
‫گلزار ِ ہست و بود نہ بیگانہ وار دیکھ‬
‫بال‬
ؔ ‫بچے کی د ُعا (نظم) اق‬
‫اقبال‬
)‫حقیقت ِ ُحسن (نظم‬
ؔ
b: Students’ response on any of Iqbal’s poetic pieces read above (200 300 words)
(1)
a: Quick reading of a list of pure poetic vocabulary (300-400 words)
(2)
Week 13
a: Reading of a few modern Urdu poems and ghazals
b: Students’ response on one of the poetic pieces read above (200-300
words)
(1) Major genres of Urdu prose
Week 14
(2) Major genres of Urdu poetry
Textbook(s)/Supplementary Readings
As suggested
As suggested
As suggested
As suggested