Programme: European Day of Languages
The European Day of Languages is on Saturday 26 September. This day was introduced by the Council of Europe in 2001 to encourage people to learn different languages. In light of this we would like to invite you to come along on Friday 25 September. We're putting on four free language-related workshops which you can visit separately or together.
Programme
9:30 AM: Hospitality English. "How can I help you?"
Are you the first point of contact for university staff or students and are you increasingly required to speak English in your job? Would you like to do so in a confident and customer-focused manner? In this workshop attention will be paid to polite greetings, small talk, generally polite and helpful expressions. (Warda Nejjari)
- 10:45 AM: In touch with the Dutch
This workshop will shed some light on the Dutch and their language. Why, for instance, are they so fond of diminutives? Should you kiss them or shake their hand? And what do Dutch sayings and expressions reveal about Dutch national character and history? This workshop will teach you the basics needed in various everyday situations, such as presenting yourself in Dutch, greeting people formally/informally, spelling your name, ordering in a bar and paying the bill. (Lidy Zijlmans)
- 12:00 noon: Knäckebröd, IKEA, ABBA and Pippi Longstocking
That's what Dutch people often say when I tell them I'm from Sweden. Now that we've got that out the way, we can move on to more interesting things! This will be a friendly, informal and interactive workshop about the Swedish language and culture that will go further than the age-old clichés. Come and find out more - you may be surprised. (Britta Johansson)
- 1:15 PM: Pozhalujsta! You're welcome!
Russian is a rich language, spoken in a country with 140 million inhabitants and 124 ethnic groups. In this workshop, you will see that the Russian language is closer to you than you may think. You'll learn how to write your name in Russian. That's a challenge in itself! (Tatjana van Merwijk-Panina)