The Galician Lectureship - Centro de Estudos Galegos in Galician - was established at the Institute of Applied Linguistics and Translatology (IALT) of Leipzig University in 2010 with the support of the Xunta de Galicia. IALT is the only institute in Germany that offers a degree in the field of translation for Galician.
The Galician Language in Leipzig
Approximately 3.5 million people speak Galician today, and the language has never been more present in university teaching and research. Many academic institutions around the world now offer courses in Galician. The offer at the University of Leipzig, however, is unique. At present, the IALT is the only institute in Germany that offers a translation course for Galician.
Learning Galician
In the BA Translation, MA Translatology or MA Conference Interpreting you can choose Galician as a second or third foreign language. Students from other institutes and faculties can also take Galician as part of their key skills or as an optional subject in the humanities and social sciences. All offers are particularly interesting for students of Romance philology. You can also write your Bachelor's or Master's thesis in the field of Galician language and culture or in translation studies with a language combination that includes Galician. At IALT it is also possible to do a doctorate in Galician linguistics and translation.
In collaboration with the Galician regional government (Xunta de Galicia), we can provide scholarships to participate in a one-month summer school in Galicia in July. The courses are designed for beginners and advanced students and are accompanied by numerous cultural activities and excursions in Galicia. You can familiarise yourself with life in Galicia and deepen your linguistic and cultural knowledge.
Offres du lectorat de galicien
Présentations, table ronde, projections de films... Au-delà de l’enseignement, le lectorat de galicien propose de nombreuses activités au cours du semestre.
In March, during the semester break, we offer an intensive course for beginners. This 90-hour course enables students to reach the A1 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. Enrolled students receive ten credits for this course and can decide to continue with the module Galicisch Level II (04-ALT-1002-G) in the summer semester. The intensive course involves a heavy workload for the participants and is intended for students with previous knowledge of a Romance language, preferably Portuguese and Spanish. Non-members of the University and students from other universities can also participate in the intensive course as free auditors.
Galician Literature Day festivities
Around 17 May, the Galician Lecutreship organises various activities dedicated to Galician literature and to the author being honoured on that day. Readings and conferences on the life and work of the author are held, as well as literary translation workshops.
Galician Films
During the lecture periods, various Galician films are shown to familiarise the university community with Galicia and the Galician language. At the end of the summer semester, a public screening of Galician films with German subtitles is organised by students.
In recent years, activities have included the participation of the Leipzig University's Galician Lectureship in Leipzig's "Long Night of Science", where Galician short films were screened that were subtitled by students in an audiovisual translation workshop.
In May 2013, the Galician director Xosé Abad presented his documentary film O segredo da Frouxeira (The Secret of A Frouxeira) in Leipzig. After the screening of the film, a discussion session took place with the director on various aspects of the film and the impact of the Spanish Civil War, Francoism and its assimilation in present-day Galicia and Spain.
Presentations and Lecturers
The cultural offer of the Galician Lectureship at Leipzig University also includes presentations on current Galician topics and readings with Galician authors. In March 2012, for example, thanks to the participation of María Reimóndez, we were able to organise a reading of excerpts from her book "Pirata" at the Leipzig Book Fair. The author also led a workshop with students of Galician on translation in the Galician sociolinguistic context.
The Galician Lectureship invites teachers from Galician universities. They give lectures and presentations on Galicia and various aspects of the Galician language and culture.
Culinary Events
At least once a year, together with the Catalan and Basque Lectureships and corresponding students, the Galician Lectureship at Leipzig University organises a culinary event in which the students prepare and taste typical Basque, Galician and Catalan dishes.
Round Table
During the lecture periods, a round table is organised every two weeks in collaboration with the Catalan and Basque Lectureships. Students from the different lectorates have the opportunity to talk to each other and to the teachers in order to deepen their linguistic knowledge.
Workshop on Galician-German Audio-visual Translation
In addition to the cultural and translation courses, you can take a real subtitling course in which you will subtitle a Galician film in German. This is a workshop with theoretical and practical content that gives you an introduction to audiovisual translation and deepens your knowledge of Galician language and culture. At the end of the workshop you will receive a certificate.
In June 2012, the Galician language department of Leipzig University offered a subtitling workshop as part of the Summer University on Translation Studies, in which teachers and translators from various Latin American and European countries participated.
Language and cultural tandem between students of Galician in Leipzig and students from Galicia
The Galician Lectureship at Leipzig University collaborates with various educational institutions in Galicia (grammar schools and language schools) in order to promote relations between German students learning Galician and Galician students learning German. This enables both parties to practice the language in authentic communication situations. This collaboration takes place in the form of video conferences, e-mails, video exchanges, etc.
Exchange programmes with Galicia for teachers and students
The partnership between IALT at Leipzig University and several Galician universities considerably enriches the courses of the Galician Lectureship. Galician lecturers come to Leipzig and give courses in their field of specialisation, and Leipzig lecturers also travel to Galicia to give courses.
This also applies to students: students from Leipzig University can study for one or two semesters at a university in Galicia and Leipzig University also welcomes Galician students. These activities contribute not only to deepening the relationship between the universities, but also between the Galician and German-speaking communities.