Nepalese Language and Culture Classes
The Center has designed classes to teach Nepalese language and culture through the internet or in a classroom, under the Nepal Study Program (NSP), for the benefit of people who are interested in Nepal studies as well as for Nepalese decedents and their spouses living outside of Nepal. Currently we are offering classes on Nepali Language and Nepal Bhasha (the language of Newar people). Check with us regularly for other Nepalese ethnic language classes.

Instructor: Daya Shakya
E-mail: drasha@aol.com

Daya has been teaching Nepalese language and culture classes through various educational institutions including Lane Community College in Eugene, Portland Community College and Intercom Language Institute in Portland. He holds a Masters Degree from Tribhuvan University in Nepalese Language and Literature. In addition, he also has a similar degree from the University of Oregon in Linguistics with a special focus on analysis of Nepalese languages and second language teaching methods for non-native speakers.

Course Comments from Ex-Students

Fall 94______________________________________________________________________
Shakya’s knowledge of English grammar and sentence structure and its relationship to Nepali helped me understand the basics of Nepali much better than previous similar courses. -An Architect & Adjunct Faculty, Portland State University


Nepali language is very exciting language to learn because the culture is so different, and language makes it possible to communicate with each other. I would be especially interested in taking Nepali class for academic credit. If it were offered, I feel that Mr. Daya Shakya is a wonderful teacher who worked very hard and really went beyond the average class in terms of preparation and excellent teaching.
-A Student from Portland Community College

I was glad to have a language class taught from linguist view point. Not just a language teacher. This gives one the tools to put together a practice for practical application in a priceless manner. I thoroughly enjoyed this class due to his style depth of knowledge.
-A Undergraduate Student, Portland State University

Spring 95 ____________________________________________________________________
Mr. Shakya is an excellent teacher. He brings much enthusiasm and humor into the class. His course is well organized and he stays on the subject. Handouts are well written and very helpful. Daya’s presentation is lively and engaging. His class was something to look forward to and I left each time feeling inspired. Please give him the opportunity to expand his teaching of Nepali language and culture.
-A Physical Therapist

This class has given a relative base Knowledge of the Nepali language, which will become encouragingly helpful as to travel to Nepal. Daya Shakya is patient, and extremely mellow in presentation of the language his introduction and delivering are clear and precise. It was an honor to have Daya as an instructor.
-A Director of Channel-2 News, Portland

Spring 96 ____________________________________________________________________
The structure of the course made learning the language easier and more functional. I feel I can use the newly learned information while traveling in Nepal. Daya was very professional and helpful with questions of language and culture. He is a valuable resource for language schools. I would highly recommend this class in the future.
–A Technician in Broadcasting Corporation

Summer 98 ___________________________________________________________________
I am glad you are both a trained linguist and fluently bilingual in English and Nepali. At the same time you are able to be very elementary basic. You gave us basic tools and useful words. We can expand vocabulary forever, but we need the tools immediately. I also like the socio-cultural part of every class.
-A UN Mission Volunteer

Winter 99 ____________________________________________________________________
This is very helpful where Daya is able to explain the reasons why we speak different ways in English and Nepali. Focus in the class was how to teach a lot of materials in a short time. This requires the student to be extra diligent in studying and consuming a lot of information, which is good depending upon the students. Over all, I learned a great deal and appreciate the time and energy Daya has put in.
-A Graduate Student from Portland State University

Spring 00 ____________________________________________________________________
The ten weeks I spent learning beginning Nepali with Daya Shakya was the most rewarding foreign language learning experience I’ve ever had. He manages to familiarize a student with an enormous amount of material without overwhelming him.
-A Traveler

Spring 04 ____________________________________________________________________
Daya’s Commitment to teaching is very well illustrated by approach that he has taken with me. Because I have some background in Nepal, I do not fit the mold of an average student and Daya has graciously spent a great deal of time tailoring an existing needs before constructing a comprehensive and challenging course schedule.
-An Assistant Professor, PSU

Winter 06____________________________________________________________________
Nepal Bhasha is a very difficult language, with grammatical intricacies that make it hard to grasp for the Western learner. Mr. Shakya had a wonderful ability to explain those intricacies, as well as tools for the student to use in remembering them. His course was organized, and well planned, so that it was possible to learn the language systematically. This is indeed an achievement, as there is not even a decent textbook of any sort on the subject.
-Holly Baker Shakya

Teaching Methods _____________________________________________________________
Daya has designed these language courses to teach in a classroom or through the Internet. Classroom teaching will be discussed in the first day of the class. The Internet version of these classes is for non-local students who cannot attend the class in person. This will be offered to anyone who has access to the Internet from anywhere in the world. However, it is helpful to find a native speaker in nearby areas for conversation practice in addition to the audio-tape. A course package must be purchased when registering for a class.

Requirements_________________________________________________________________
No prescribed requisition is necessary for the beginning level classes. A little knowledge of own native languages grammar is helpful. However, with basic knowledge of Nepalese languages permits you to join the intermediate or intensive level classes.

Class Location _________________________________________________________________
Currently, the classes are running at the Nepalese Language Center in Portland, Oregon. However, it can be arranged anywhere depending upon the number of interested people with additional fees.

LANGUAGE COURSES OFFERED UNDER

NEPAL STUDY PROGRAM

NLCN 571 (Nepalese Language Course Number)
Title:	Conversational Nepali Language for Travelers and Trekkers
Duration:	2 hours per week for 10 weeks
Date:	September 2011
Location:	PCC
Course Package	see PCC Catalogue
Fee	see PCC Catalogue
Class size	see PCC Catalogue

NLCN 572 (Nepalese Language Course Number)
Title:	Nepali Language for Beginners with Reading and Writing
Duration:	2 hours per week for 10 weeks
Date:	September 2011
Location:	at the center
Course Package	US $39.95
Fee	US $250.00
Class size	5 to 10 Students

NLCN 573 (Nepalese Language Course Number)
Title:	Conversational Nepali Language with Cultural Orientation
Duration:	2 hours per week for 5 weeks
Date:	September 2011
Location:	at the center
Course Package	US $39.95
Fee	US $195.00
Class size	5 to 10 Students

NLCN 574 (Nepalese Language Course Number)
Title:	Nepalese Culture at a Glance
Duration:	2 hours per week for 5 weeks
Date:	September 2011
Location:	at the center
Course Package	US $39.95
Fee	US $195.00
Class size	5 to 10 Students

NLCN 575 (Nepalese Language Course Number)
Title:	Conversational Nepal Bhasha (The Language of Newars for Beginners)
Duration:	2 hours per week for 10 weeks
Date:	September 2011
Location:	Tritya Mandal Maha Vihar, visit: www.dancemandal.com
Course Package	US $39.95
Fee	US $225.00
Class size	5 to 10 Students

NLCN 576 (Nepalese Language Course Number)
Title:	Seminar Package-Basic=2 0Nepali Language for Beginners
Duration:	16 hours of classroom instruction in 2 sessions
Date:	September 2011
Location:	at the center
Course Package	US $39.95
Fee	US $245.00
Class size	minimum 3 Students

NLCN 577 (Nepalese Language Course Number)
Title:	Lecture Series on Nepalese Culture
Duration:	1.5 hours each sitting or 18 hours for whole series
Date:	September 2011
Location:	at the center
Course Package	US $25.00
Fee	US $35.00/person/lecture/prorated for10 students
Class size	3 to 5 Students

NLCN 578 (Nepalese Language Course Number)
Title:	Nepalese Language Teaching Training
Duration:	10 Hours training
Class Size	2 or 3 Students
Location:	at the center
Fee & Course Pkg.

NLCN # 591 (Nepalese Language Course Number)
Title:	Understanding the Classical Sanskrit -Part 1
Duration:	2 hours each sitting for 10 weeks
Date:	September 2011
Class Size	3 to 5 Students
Location:	Bodhi Tree Language Institute ( www.bodhitree.com)
Fee:	US $200.00
Courses/Packages:	US $.00
Packages:

NLCN # 592 (Nepalese Language Course Number)
Title:	Understanding the Classical Sanskrit -Part 2
Duration:	2 hours each sitting for 10 weeks
Date:	TBA
Class Size	2 to 5 Students
Location:	TBA
Fee:	US $200.00
Courses/Packages:	US $.00

NLCN # 593 (Nepalese Language Course Number)
Title:	Understanding the Classical Sanskrit -Part 3
Duration:	2 hours each sitting for 10 weeks
Date:	TBA
Class Size	2 to 5 Students
Location:	TBA
Fee:	US $200.00
Courses/Packages:	US $.00

Courses for Nepalese language and Culture classes

Additional classes:

Course # NLCN 671
Title: Nepali Language Intermediate Courses with Reading and Writing

Course # NLCN 675
Title: Conversational Nepal Bhasha and Newar Culture

Course # NLCN 676
Title: Conversational Nepal Bhasha-Intermediate

Course # NLCN 771
Title: Nepali Language Intensive Courses with Reading and Writing

Course # NLCN 775
Title: Conversational Nepal Bhasha-Intensive Level with Reading and Writing in Native Script

Sample Syllabus: Course # NLCN 573

Beginning Nepali Language and Culture

Goal:
• Identify and pronounce Nepali words and the basic sentences.
• Differentiate affirmative/ negative/ interrogative statements t o greet and introduce.
• Understand the polite and impolite forms of language, and to ask for needs and wants (ex. food/lodging)
• Deal with numbers and rules of counting

Language:
Weeks
• Introductions to Nepali language, Vowels, Consonants, Words & Sentence structure (SOV)
• Pronouns, numbers and adjectives
• Case marks/ postpositions/ suffixes
• Types of verbs (transitive / intransitive and simple / compound)
• Tenses: past and non-past
• Verb conjugation : regular vs. polite and impolite forms
• Types of sentences: yes, no and question forms.
• Simple and compound sentences
• Important phrases to remember and particles
• Final project: Mono or dialog + analysis of a text

Culture:
• Introduction to Nepal: historical back ground, unity within diversity
• Political system and life style etc
• Inseparability of Religion and Culture in Nepal
• Places to visit
• Holidays and festivals
• Caste system or a division of labor: How does it work in Nepal?
• Rituals from birth to death
• Special lecture on birthday celebration.
• How to find a life Partner? A system of marriage in Nepalese culture

Recommended Books:

1. Nepali Bhasha Sikshya, By Daya R. S hakya, USWCNLC, Portland,Oregon USA
2. Dictionary of Spoken Nepali, Earl Mosburg, Boulder, Colorado,USA
3. Culture Shock Nepal, Jon Burbank, GAC Publishing Co. Portland,Oregon USA

About the Instructor:

Mr. Daya Shakya:

A day that has only twenty four hours which leaves some of us wondering about where time goes. One man has almost defied father time as his exuberant energy has allowed him to accomplish many goals in his life. Daya Shakya is a husband, a father, a teacher, a writer, editor, researcher, social worker and an inspiration for many people. His timeless effort includes preserving and promoting the language and culture of Nepal. Daya earned his post-graduate in linguistics, and Nepalese Language and Literature with special focus on Nepali and Nepal Bhasha from the University of Oregon and Tribhuvan University in Kathmandu, Nepal. Furthermore, doing field work in a few dozen districts of Nepal, Daya has grasped the ability to speak read and write in Nepali, Nepal Bhasha, English, and Hindi. In addition, he also has the ability to speak Tibetan and is able to read Sanskrit and German making Daya truly a multidimensional linguist.

As a linguist, Daya is not only a teacher but he is also an interpreter and a translator. In the past, he has tutored many foreign scholars and his passion continues to this day as he is involved as a free lance private tutor for the Nepalese languages and culture. He has also helped many Nepalese texts become in reach by translating them into English. He has instructed at the Lane Community College in Eugene, Portland Community College and also for the Intercom Language Institute in Portland, Oregon . He has served as a research assistant to scholars from the Universities of Oregon, New York in USA , United Kingdom, Germany as well as Nepal. Daya was actively involved in the community as well; currently, he was the Vice President of the Newah Organization of America (NOA) and has served as the President of the Nepalese Association of Oregon (NAO) after serving as an executive member of NAO for three years. Furthermore, he is the chairperson for the International Nepal Bhasa Seva Samiti. His past positions include leading the Eugene/Kathmandu Sister City Committee as its president.

Many people will agree about Daya as being a true leader. In his endeavor to promote the Nepalese language and culture, he has presented several papers in international conferences and conventions. He has also hosted many events promoting the Nepalese culture. Asian Heritage month Festival in Portland, and Asian Celebration in Eugene Oregon are the two of many events that have invited Daya to organize and showcase a Nepalese performances.. Indeed, in 2001 Days was awarded Finest Exemplary Volunteer Award 2001” by the Asian Reporter, a local newspaper of Portland, for his continuous support in preservation of the Nepalese language and culture and guiding the Nepalese community in Oregon. Of the many cultural programs he has hosted Daya also published many newsletters as well as Journals called Newah Vijaana, Namaste is a newsletter he has started in 1994 for the Nepalese community in Oregon, which not only publicizes not only community news but it also welcomes new members creating a sense of family within the community. Laskus is the publication of the Newah Organization of America (NOA) which has created a close community of Newah people in the US. Newah Vijaana is “The journal of Newar Studies” extends the boundaries on Studies of Newah heritage to scholars around the world. Along with journal he has also circulated many articles and books written in Nepal Bhasa, Nepali and English. The recent one in Nepal Bhasa is titled ‘Wayaa Pwaathae Du”, a collection of articles based on linguistic features of Newah language. In a country where there is not enough time for any thing one can see that Daya has mystified every one by defying this phenomenon.