ENGLISH EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT IN KUTAISI

GERMAN PROFESSOR IN KSU

On the invitation of Kutaisi State University (Georgia, Europe) Prof. Manfred Görlach worked with the English Studies Department.

During that time he delivered the lecture course (20 hours) on American English to undergraduates and a seminar in Modern Linguistics to post-graduates doing Ph.D. degree. He shared his experience with the members of the ESD and brought them up-to-date with the latest achievements in linguistics.

Prof. M. Görlach also delivered a very interesting lecture on A DICTIONARY OF EUROPEAN ANGLICISMS to the staff and students of the English Studies Department and two lectures on Current Changes in German Language Vocabulary and Three Years in East German Prisons to the staff of the German Studies Department.

He met the Rector of the University and attended the meetings of English and German Speaking Clubs.

Prof. Manfred Görlach is an excellent scholar, one of the leading linguists in English Linguistics in Europe.

We have been extremely impressed by his intellectual brilliance, expertise, commitment and openness to cross-cultural problems.

His visit made a significant contribution to the work of the English Studies Department. We are thankful to him for help and valuable advice.

He is truly the person every university would be honoured to collaborate with.

For Madonna and her lovely staff

A night flight from Frankfurt and four hours’ nightly drive brought me to my much awaited bed in Kutaisi, 3 November, 6 am.  Soon I was up again to explore the ancient capital of Georgia in bright sunshine (12°) which has, however, not much left of its ancient history apart from its splendid cathedral and impressive castle ruins, but daily life in a society merging East and West, the markets and town life and the very friendly people make every walk a pleasant adventure – obviously without any danger. All this is untouched by modern tourism – you cannot even get a town map. Hotels (few) are mostly occupied by refugees from Abkhazia; I live with a fascinating gynecologist, who is also a composer and a poet, in a private house, and I am treated with the manifold (and rich) local/national diet.

My lecture course on English as a world language (20 hours) has started; 25 intelligent and motivated students. It moves me sad to think that the best they can hope for is a lecturing position worth &20 per month. In addition, a few lectures for the English and German departments, afternoons free for sightseeing, guided by members of a generally very young staff. Their linguistic help is of course invaluable, in a country where the very alphabet is a miracle or mystery.

After nine days at Kutaisi there will be four days in the capital Tbilisi -  taken back by car in daytime, which will allow me to the some of their precious countryside.

Again a few lectures, but certainly enough spare time for sightseeing. This is a lovely country with pleasant people who deserve a peaceful and prosperous future, but are facing grievous political and economic problems, wedged in by unloved  neighbours such as Iran, Turkey and Russia and affected by the problems of Abkhazia, Ossetia and Pankisi Valley. So let us hope for the best – they deserve it!

With best wishes,

Yours Manfred