Course Catalogue

A Comprehensive Introduction to Malayalam Grammar TRS1028

  • Academic Session: 2026-27
  • School: School of Critical Studies
  • Credits: 20
  • Level: Level 1 (SCQF level 7)
  • Typically Offered: Summer
  • Available to Visiting Students: Yes
  • Collaborative Online International Learning: No
  • Curriculum For Life: No

Short Description

The Malayalam language summer school offers an intensive and advanced introduction to Malayalam language designed for research purposes. The course targets dedicated undergraduate students and graduate students as well as researchers and scholars specializing in South Asian languages and history, anthropology, linguistics, and religious studies. By the end of the course, students and researchers will be equipped with a thorough albeit basic knowledge of Malayalam grammar to further pursue their research concerns. The study is based on a grammar text book with drills, examples from Malayalam literature and speech samples collected during years-long of fieldwork in Kerala.

Timetable

10 x 70-minute lectures and 5 x 70-minute tutorials per week over 3 weeks as scheduled in MyCampus.

Requirements of Entry

None

Excluded Courses

None

Co-requisites

None

Assessment

The standard assessments for this course are:

■ Set exercise A (750 words) - 25%

■ Set exercise B (750 words) - 25%

■ Exam (90 minutes) - 50%

 

If required, for instance where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, the following alternatives are available:

■ There is no alternative to the set exercises, but flexible deadlines can be offered as reasonable adjustments (students should follow the usual process for extensions)

■ There is no alternative to the exam, but extra time can be offered as reasonable adjustments (students should follow the usual process for extensions)

 

Further reasonable adjustments may be provided where necessary. Students are encouraged to consult with the course convenor.

Main Assessment In: August

Course Aims

This course aims to:

1. develop proficiency in reading and writing the Malayalam script (including the pre-reform Old Script)

2. provide in-depth knowledge of the verbal and nominal categories in Malayalam

3. contextualise Malayalam grammar in linguistics, ethnology, textual studies, and South Asian Studies

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

By the end of this course students will be able to:

1. identify verbal forms (aspects, light verbs, conditionals)

2. identify nominal forms (pronouns, inflected nouns, particles, compound postpositions)

3. analyse the grammatical structure of Malayalam sentences and paragraphs

4. translate a short story from Malayalam into English

Minimum Requirement for Award of Credits

No exceptions