Language is nothing if it is not communication. Whether we communicate in ways that divide us or in ways that bring us together depends in equal parts on what we have to say, and on our ability to say it. The best basis for a life of good experiences lies in education conceived of as a journey toward, and alongside, the "other" - other lands, other peoples, other perspectives, other ways of being human. Those of us who know no foreign language force the "other" to meet us, in a sense, solely on an already familiar terrain: intellectually, it is as if we never leave home, and the journey of our education remains incomplete. Without "some entrance" into a foreign language, we are always traveling at best like those "who go to school," apprentices and tourists for whom the insights that come only with meaningful communication and intimate experience remain largely unknown. The true traveler is the one whose experience is enriched by the communication that adequate possession of the foreign language makes possible: that is when our journeying becomes meaningful.

Prospects for success

At Trinity, the Modern Languages and Literature Department offers students a wide variety of opportunities for communication and expression, for intellectual challenge and achievement unique to a liberal arts institution of distinction. The one-on-one relationships between student and professor, between student and student, and between student and speakers of a foreign language are the benchmarks of the program and an enduring source of personal and professional satisfaction.

Trinity offers majors in seven principal modern languages - Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish - as well as studies in Arabic and Hebrew. A distinguished faculty instructs each language at all levels, from elementary classes to advanced courses in literature and other aspects of the culture of the chosen language. Students are encouraged to move at their own speed, reaching for greater challenges in language training, from a wide range of advanced courses, to a world of foreign study options, to the creative outlet of our self-instructional languages and independent study programs.

Outside of classes, which are small and highly personal, with a great amount of faculty- student interaction, there are many on-campus opportunities for expression and interchange in a language specialty. Language clubs feature practical exposure to a language in a relaxed, fun atmosphere. Student rooms are wired for computer applications that include software programs in the target language. Trinity also makes available to students a large library of foreign films and videotapes, as well as direct satellite reception of foreign television broadcasts.

The curriculum of the Modern Languages and Literature Department is not limited to courses in the various foreign languages, but also includes a rich schedule of courses, taught in English, which focus on topics from civilization to literary traditions, to many other aspects of foreign cultures.

Degree options

Majors

Plan A: Major in a single foreign language (French, German, Italian, Russian, or Spanish)

Plan B: Major in two languages (Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian, or Spanish)

Minors: Language Concentration in Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Russian, or Spanish This is an option for students not majoring in Modern Languages and Literature, but who wish to develop their linguistic skills and gain an appreciation for foreign cultures.

Interdisciplinary Study: Language Across The Curriculum This is an opportunity for students to use their foreign language in different contexts by applying it in any appropriate course taught in the other departments of the College. This program offers cross-disciplinary options such as the art history major's complementing his or her studies with Italian or French, or the Music Major `s reading scripts in their original German, or the History major's exploring events in the languages in which they occurred, or the Science major's investigating research in the original.

Foreign study

There is no substitute for real-world experience in language study, and Trinity encourages Modern Languages majors to pursue some form of practical exposure to their chosen language or languages through foreign study. Program options include:

Year or Term Abroad A foreign study program is designed for the individual student, working together with the faculty adviser and the Office of International Programs. Trinity, in addition to its own foreign study programs in Italy and Spain, has established informal relationships with a number of other American colleges and universities offering accredited programs in over 20 locations, including Argentina, China, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Italy, India, Israel, Japan, Nepal, and Russia.

Rome Campus Fall and spring semesters, as well as during the summer program, students of Italian may study at the Trinity College/Rome campus. Designed as an extension of the undergraduate program and open to students in a variety of disciplines, including art, music, literature, history, religion, and archaeology, this campus opens to the language student a city and region rich in cultural heritage and educational opportunities beyond language study. Situated on the Aventine, one of the celebrated Seven Hills of Rome, it includes dormitory facilities in a renovated convent, surrounded by parks, public gardens, and the lure of antiquity. The cost of the program is approximately the same as a comparable term on the Hartford campus, and is arranged with one's faculty adviser and the Office of International Programs.

Trinity In Spain In 1981, Trinity, as part of a consortium of colleges that included Smith, Wellesley, Oberlin, Wheaton, and the College of Wooster, established a Program of Hispanic Studies in Cordoba, Spain (PRESHCO). Its mission is to allow students the opportunity for study abroad, including immersion in the language and culture of Spain. Cordoba was an important cultural center in the Middle Ages and presents vestiges of its past through many relics of early Jewish and Muslim life. Students who have studied Spanish through the intermediate college level may apply for fall or spring terms, or for the entire academic year. The program is coordinated through the Department of Modern Languages, and the cost is approximately the same as a comparable period on the Hartford campus.

International internships

In addition to formal foreign study programs, students may choose to enhance their language studies with programs like International Internships. Such programs, under the aegis of the various foreign study programs, and coordinated with the students' Trinity programs, offer unique perspectives on the applications and value of a foreign language in today's world.

SILP - Self Instructional Language Program

SILP courses offer a unique opportunity for the student to plan and design a course of study in many languages not offered at Trinity. With input and prior approval of the faculty, the student may undertake self-instructional programs provided the College can locate both native speakers and professionally qualified individuals capable of monitoring and evaluating the student's work. Each term the SILP program offers three levels - Elementary I & II, Intermediate I & II, and Advanced I & II. In the past, Trinity students have studied such languages as Danish, Modern Greek, Hindi, Irish, Korean, and Portuguese in this program.

Life after Trinity

Elizabeth Eakeley '97, analyst, Merrill Lynch's International Telecommunication Division "As a test of my ability to work with representatives and clients from other countries, the interview for my job was conducted entirely in French. I have no doubt that my language skills and cultural knowledge helped win the position and will continue to benefit my particular conversation with the world."

Joya Stella '93, intern with a Franco-American library  "I found my French courses to be very stimulating and challenging. Not only did they demand a high level of oral and written proficiency, but they also introduced me to the French culture and a new way of perceiving the world. "Learning French at Trinity opened many doors and inspired me to continue to study for a master's degree. Because of my studies of French language and literature at Trinity, I have been able to communicate and function in a rich culture very different from my own."

Katie Stewart '92, fifth grade teacher in Oregon  "My Trinity experience was amazing and has had an effect on me as a teacher. Through my Modern Language major I learned how to analyze and interpret language. This is an area where I can now be more sensitive to my students' endeavors."

David Molner '91, business analyst for Viacom Entertainment group in Hollywood, CA; formerly a free-lance journalist based in Berlin, Germany "If I hadn't mastered foreign languages at Trinity, I could never have started working overseas straight out of college. But more importantly, I would never have progressed from being just a translator if Trinity hadn't educated me to the broad relevance of language to culture, history, and human relations.''

Greg Milbourne '90, business manager, CIS, Rosenbluth International, the world's third largest corporate travel agency, now based in Philadelphia, formerly country manager, based in Moscow, Russia  "I really felt that the opportunities Trinity offered me to study Russian and to create a customized curriculum around my interests have made my career a success. At Trinity, the personalized instruction took a weak language student like myself and gave me both the tools and the desire to achieve fluency. By giving me goals and study abroad opportunities, Trinity pushed me to study hard and make the progress necessary to spend a year abroad in the Soviet Union."

Bernard Lee '88, student, Georgetown University; formerly a researcher, Congressional Office of Technology Assessment  "I was a Russian major and what I studied was not just language. The language professors, the teaching, and my adviser were very, very good. The Russian at Trinity is as good if not better than most schools of its caliber, even better than some larger schools. In my work I focused on Russian-related topics, and the courses I took at Trinity in political science and history helped in my job."

Andrea Gabrielle '86, regional sales manager, National Accounts Department, Carrier Corporation, United Technologies Corporation  "After completing graduate school, I was hired into the United Technologies Leadership Associate Management Training Program. I was the only trainee sent overseas (to Europe) for the two-year program. I continued an additional three years in Paris, France before returning this past fall. "I credit this experience to my language speaking ability developed as a Modern Languages major at Trinity."