A Level Urdu CAIE

This subject is broken down into 20 topics in 2 modules:

  1. Urdu Literature 10 topics
  2. Urdu Language and Linguistics 10 topics
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This page was last modified on 28 September 2024.

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Urdu

Urdu Literature

Comprehension and appreciation of a diverse range of Urdu literature

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Comprehension and appreciation of a diverse range of Urdu literature

Overview of Urdu Literature

  • Recognise the importance of Urdu literature in its cultural and historical context.
  • Understand the development of Urdu literature through different eras.
  • Identify major authors and poets and their contributions to Urdu literature.
  • Comprehend the influence of Persian and Arabic on Urdu Literature.

Poetry

  • Discover the major genres of Urdu poetry: Ghazal, Nazm, Marsiya, Masnavi, Qasida, and Rubai.
  • Gain an appreciation of the beauty and depth of imagery and expression in Urdu poetry.
  • Analyse and interpret the themes, symbolism and metaphors used in works of famous Urdu poets like Ghalib, Iqbal, Faiz, etc.

Prose

  • Recognise the different forms of Urdu prose: Dastan, Afsanay, Novels, Drama, and Criticism.
  • Understand the style, themes and settings employed by major Urdu prose writers like Premchand, Krishan Chander, Ismat Chughtai, etc.
  • Evaluate the use of narrative techniques, like alliteration, onomatopoeia, and similes in Urdu prose.

Literary Devices in Urdu Literature

  • Understand and apply knowledge of literary devices frequently used in Urdu literature such as Simile, Metaphor, Personification, Foreshadowing etc.
  • Interpret imagery and symbolism used in Urdu poetry and prose.
  • Use critical literary terms and concepts to construct an in-depth analysis of Urdu literature.

Skills Development

  • Develop critical thinking and analytical skills through the study and interpretation of Urdu literature texts.
  • Develop an ability to compare and contrast different pieces of Urdu literature.
  • Gain the skills to effectively communicate your interpretations and thoughts, both orally and in writing.

Evaluation and Interpretation

  • Develop an ability to critically evaluate literary texts in Urdu.
  • Learn to interpret the underlying philosophies and messages in the texts beyond literal narratives and plot outlines.
  • Form an ability to bring personal insight and understanding to the interpretation of texts.

Course material for Urdu, module Urdu Literature, topic Comprehension and appreciation of a diverse range of Urdu literature

Urdu

Urdu Language and Linguistics

Exploration of Urdu Phonetics and Phonology

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Exploration of Urdu Phonetics and Phonology

Urdu Phonetics

  • Phonetics deals with the physical sounds of human speech. It is concerned with the physical properties of speech sounds (also known as phonemes), including their articulatory, auditory and acoustic properties.

  • Urdu phonetics are based on the use of vowels and consonants described by the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA).

Vowels

  • Urdu has eight vowel phonemes, including 3 short vowels /a/, /i/, /u/, and 5 long vowels /a:/, /i:/, /u:/, /e:/, /o:/.

  • Spoken drastically changes based on the vowel length. For instance, /bɪl/ means 'purchase' while /bi:l/ means 'without'.

  • Urdu vowels can also be nasalized. For example, /ã:/ (like the 'a' in “man”) in ‘aam’, meaning 'mango'.

Consonants

  • Urdu uses 28 basic consonants, which includes stops, nasals, fricatives, liquids, trills, glides and affricates, among others.

  • Voicing can differentiate Urdu consonants. For example, /b/ and /p/ are pairs differentiated by voicing.

  • Aspiration is also key in differentiating consonants. For instance, /b/ is non-aspirated while /bh/ is aspirated.

  • Some sounds of Urdu don't have an equivalent in English, such as the retroflex sounds /ʈ/, /ʈʰ/, /ɖ/, /ɳ/, /ɽ/ and /ɽʱ/.

Further Features of Urdu Phonetics

  • Gemination: This occurs when a consonant is pronounced for an extended period of time, e.g., in the word 'Kutta', the 't' is geminated.

  • Stress: Urdu uses stress in a more limited way than English. Typically, the last long vowel of a word is stressed.

Urdu Phonology

  • This involves the way phonemes function in particular languages or languages as a system for organizing sounds.

  • In Urdu phonology, it is crucial to understand the distinction between the 'light i' or 'इ' and the full 'i' or 'ई' and likewise for 'u' and 'उ'.

  • It's vital to note the position of retroflex consonants/ड़ and ढ़, that are pronounced with the tongue curled back in the mouth.

  • Also consider the nuances of the pronunciation of aspirated consonants/फ, थ, च, छ, and ख.

Course material for Urdu, module Urdu Language and Linguistics, topic Exploration of Urdu Phonetics and Phonology

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