Home Welcome to fsi-language-courses.org - the home for language courses developed by the Foreign Service Institute. These courses were developed by the United States government and are in the public domain. This site is dedicated to making these language courses freely available in an electronic format. This site is not affiliated in any way with any government entity; it is an independent, non-profit effort to foster the learning of worldwide languages. Courses here are made available through the private efforts of individuals who are donating their time and resources to provide quality materials for language learning. Website back up. April 13, 2013 The site has been down for two months to the day. On the bright side, there are now other sources for these materials: Please bookmark these sites as well. Catching Up January 16, 2011 The following texts have been posted over the months since this page's last update: Various Updates April 16, 2010 New Material January 29, 2010 November 12, 2009 New Text
Yoruba religion The Yorùbá religion comprises the traditional religious and spiritual concepts and practices of the Yorùbá people. Its homeland is in Southwestern Nigeria and the adjoining parts of Benin and Togo, a region that has come to be known as Yorùbáland. Yorùbá religion is formed of diverse traditions and has no single founder. Beliefs[edit] According to Kola Abimbola, the Yorùbá have evolved a robust cosmology.[1] In brief, it holds that all human beings possess what is known as "Àyànmô"[4] (destiny, fate) and are expected to eventually become one in spirit with Olódùmarè (Olòrún, the divine creator and source of all energy). Each person attempts to achieve transcendence and find their destiny in Òrún-Réré (the spiritual realm of those who do good and beneficial things). Those who stop growing spiritually, in any of their given lives, are destined for "Òrún-Apadi" (the invisible realm of potsherds). Prayer to one's Orí Òrún produces an immediate sensation of joy. Olódùmarè[edit] See also[edit]
Learn 40 Languages for Free: Spanish, English, Chinese & More How to learn languages for free? This collection features lessons in 48 languages, including Spanish, French, English, Mandarin, Italian, Russian and more. Download audio lessons to your computer or mp3 player and you’re good to go. Amharic Foreign Service Institute Basic Amharic — Audio — TextbookLessons with dialogues, drills, exercises, and narratives will teach you the basics of this language spoken in Ethiopia. Ancient Greek Ancient Greek Introduction — Web SiteThe UT-Austin Linguistics Research Center provides an overview of Ancient Greek and 10 lessons based on famous Greek texts. Arabic Bookmark our free Arabic lessons section. American Sign Language Introductory American Sign Language Course — YouTubeBy the end of this course you should have a basic bank of ASL words that you are able to use to form simple sentences. Bambara Bambara in Mali — Web SiteLessons from the Peace Corps. Bulgarian Cambodian Catalan Chinese Czech Danish Lao
Mesopotamian religion The god Marduk and his dragon Mušḫuššu Mesopotamian religion refers to the religious beliefs and practices followed by the Sumerian and East Semitic Akkadian, Assyrian, Babylonian and later migrant Arameans and Chaldeans, living in Mesopotamia (a region encompassing modern Iraq, Kuwait, southeast Turkey and northeast Syria) that dominated the region for a period of 4200 years from the fourth millennium BCE throughout Mesopotamia to approximately the 10th century CE in Assyria.[1] Mesopotamian polytheism was the only religion in ancient Mesopotamia for thousands of years before entering a period of gradual decline beginning between the 1st and 3rd centuries CE. Reconstruction[edit] As with most dead religions, many aspects of the common practices and intricacies of the doctrine have been lost and forgotten over time. History[edit] Overview map of ancient Mesopotamia. Akkadian names first appear in king lists of these states circa 2800 BCE. Religion in the Neo-Assyrian Empire[edit] "Enlil!
Free Language Courses Seleucid Empire The Seleucid Empire (/sɨˈluːsɪd/; from Greek: Σελεύκεια, Seleúkeia) was a Hellenistic state ruled by the Seleucid dynasty founded by Seleucus I Nicator following the division of the empire created by Alexander the Great.[4][5][6][7] Seleucus received Babylonia and, from there, expanded his dominions to include much of Alexander's near eastern territories. At the height of its power, it included central Anatolia, the Levant, Mesopotamia, Kuwait, Persia, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, and northwest parts of India. History[edit] Partition of Alexander's empire[edit] Alexander conquered the Persian Empire under its last Achaemenid dynast, Darius III, within a short time frame and died young, leaving an expansive empire of partly Hellenised culture without an adult heir. The empire was put under the authority of a regent in the person of Perdiccas in 323 BC, and the territories were divided between Alexander's generals, who thereby became satraps, at the Partition of Babylon in 323 BC.
Anki - friendly, intelligent flashcards //_.YORUBA.CULTURAL.INSTITUTE._\\ Apply for Summer Intensive Apply for One on One Tutorial Apply for Online Course Background Based upon the requests of native speakers of Yoruba who want to learn the language, and upon our experience teaching students who have requested we teach groups they form, we have developed a fool-proof mechanism for learning the Yoruba language. We are certain without a doubt that anyone who takes our courses can become fluent by completing the full curriculum. The Yoruba Cultural Institute offers a number of learning options. More importantly, our program focuses primarily on realistic dialogue for students of all levels. Extra-Curricular In addition to classroom instruction, our program supports language learning through outside cultural activities that emphasize language use. Immersion Intensive (Summer: June to August) (Fall: September to November) What’s NYC in the Summer but a festival of African Culture? SUMMER DATES: June 3 to August 21st Location: Brooklyn, NY Course Includes: Apply Now Apply Now
UniLang • Home Origins of Zydeco and Cajun Music by Tom Dempsey Origins of Zydeco and Cajun Music by Tom Dempsey, Seattle, WA. May 1996 My love for zydeco dancing inspired me to dig into the history of zydeco music. I discovered that over several generations, Acadians became “Cajuns,” and the word “Creole” changed meaning several times. Acadian Settlers Were Expelled Back in the early 1600’s, French settlers immigrated to Acadia (present-day Nova Scotia, Canada), bringing with them old folk songs of medieval France. “Creole” Changes Definition In the early Louisiana settlements, the term “Creole” referred to people of French or Spanish parentage who were born in Louisiana. Many non-enslaved Creoles, light-skinned blacks, or mulattos formed an aristocratic society in New Orleans during the time of slavery. Today, the nouns “Creole” and “Cajun” have the following common interpretations: • “Creole” usually refers to “a French-speaking black of Southwest Louisiana.” Acadian Becomes “Cajun” Encyclopedia of Cajun Culture