Language Classes in CEUS :: Undergraduate Programs
At Central Eurasian Studies, language teaching is central to what we do. Classes are small and our instructors are native speakers, enthusiastic about their language and the chance to share it with IU students. They are trained in the best language teaching methods and will soon have you speaking and using the language in class. No prior knowledge is ever assumed!
Central Eurasian languages belong to five families
The Uralic or Finno-Ugric family includes Hungarian, Finnish, and Estonian. It is a unique language family -- totally different from the Germanic, Slavic, or Romance -- in the heart of Europe. Finnish even inspired J.R.R. Tolkien’s imagined Elvish language! Learn more about the Uralic languages by clicking on the link:
The Turkic family includes not just the Turkish of Turkey, but many languages in Central Asia and even China as well, such as Uzbek, Kazakh, and Uyghur. Almost 150 million people speak one or another Turkic language – and they are all pretty closely related! Uzbek, Uyghur, Kazakh, and Azeri are part of the ROTC Strategic Languages and Cultures Program. Learn more about the Turkic languages by clicking on the link:
The Iranian family starts with Persian or Farsi, the language not just of modern Iran, but of poetry, history, and traditional Islamic culture from Turkey to India. We also teach Tajik, a Central Asian language just like Persian but written with the Russian alphabet, and Pashto, the main language of Afghanistan. Both are part of the ROTC Strategic Languages and Cultures Program. Learn more about the Iranian languages by clicking on the link:
Mongolian is the language of Genghis Khan and of the nomadic herders who still pasture their flocks on the Mongolian grasslands. Today Mongolia has become one of the world’s premier off-beat tourist destinations. Learn more about Mongolian by clicking on the link:
Tibetan is the language of the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan people struggling to preserve their heritage. The language is a gateway into a fascinating Buddhist Himalayan culture, with key links to both China and India. Learn more about Tibetan by clicking on the link: