The Department of Modern Languages, Literatures, and Cultures (MLLC) consists of four languages, each available to study independently, and a major and honours program that involves the study of three languages to varying degrees of expertise. In addition, the program offers an interdisciplinary minor in Language and the Mind.
French Studies is offered as a major, minor, and honours, and is available to study as any of the three languages of the MLLC degree. The discipline offers language courses, history and culture courses, and upper-year literature courses. The program requires a placement test to ensure students receive material that coincides with their knowledge of the language, as French is a common curriculum in many schools across Canada. New Brunswick itself is a bilingual province, home to many Acadian and francophone communities. Mt. A’s Dr. Marie-Claude Rogosin teaches first and second-year language courses, and upper-year specializations in grammar. She loves to translate her knowledge to community members. “Even in town I will speak French for everybody,” said Dr. Rogosin, a prime example of the inclusivity of the language. “French embraces five continents; it is a language of unity and love,” said Mt. A’s Dr. Ghislain Liambou, who teaches first and second-year language courses as well as upper-year literature courses.
Hispanic Studies is offered as a major and minor and is available to study through the MLLC degree as well. Mt. A’s Dr. Maritza Fariña and Dr. Juan Carlos Martínez teach first and second-year language courses. “We came here together by chance. We didn’t know what Sackville was, but there was a job available for him [Martínez] and we never left, because it’s a good place to be,” Dr. Fariña said. Originally from Latin America, Dr. Fariña did her master’s in teaching Spanish as a foreign language in Spain. “First year, the students don’t know any Spanish and it’s really nice to see how they start to develop the language. I like second year because they already know some Spanish and also I have the opportunity to introduce them a tiny bit to the literature. They have more questions about Latin America for example, and I really like to open that door for them,” said Dr. Fariña. In addition to Spanish language courses, Dr. Martínez teaches Indigenous culture courses and upper-year literature courses. “It is very nice to see how the students grow. Suddenly they realize another world that they never thought about, a new culture, a new way of thinking, and that is incredible to see.”
German Studies can be pursued as a minor and is available to study as the second or third language of the MLLC degree. The Program Advisor Dr. Renata Schellenberg has taught a diverse variety of literature and culture courses since 2004, the beginning of her time at Mt. A. “I think it’s wonderful because people get stuck on how difficult the language may be but there’s so much there in terms of culture and intellectual legacy,” said Dr. Schellenberg. The “land of poets and thinkers” has become a synonymous title for Germany, home to brilliant minds such as Albert Einstein and Beethoven. “German is precise, which is what I like compared to English. They have their rules, and of course, there are exceptions, but compared to the English language which is very wishy-washy, German is very precise, same as the time,” Dr. Lisa Deighton said, who teaches first and second-year language courses.
Japanese Studies is offered as a minor and is available to study as the third language of the MLLC degree. Currently, the discipline offers first and second-year language courses taught by Dr. Akiko Yoshizawa, but culture is thoroughly interconnected with the material. “The Japanese language has many variations, not only the one in the textbook. Just holding myself speaks in different ways. That’s how you present yourself in someone’s eyes. If you want to truly understand the manga, if you want to know truly about the culture, like how we behave, or how we are polite to each other, learning the language is a very important thing,” said Dr. Yoshizawa. The Japanese language is more than verbal communication, how one carries oneself is deeply interconnected. The minor in Japanese studies can be completed with specified interdisciplinary courses such as GENV-1301: Japanese Foodways and HIST-3761: Japan & Making of Modern Asia.
Languages are a great supplement to your studies to consider. “Languages are a skill. They are conceptual. They are teaching you more about how to think than how to do anything specific. Having language skills is like economics. They’re job skills and life skills that will help you find work,” said Department Head Dr. James Devine. Even if they are not the main focus of your studies, they are the key to not only understanding the world better but to understanding your own language better.