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FSI or DLI in other countries | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : Language Programs, Books & Tapes |  | |
| Zwlth Super Polyglot Senior Member United States Joined 5231 days ago 154 posts - 320 votes  Speaks: English*, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Arabic (Written), Dutch, Swedish, Portuguese, Latin, French, Persian, Greek | Message 1 of 35 08 July 2011 at 4:17am | IP Logged | ||
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There are many discussions on this forum about the language courses produced by the United States Foreign Service Institute (FSI) and Defence Language Institute (DLI), and quite often someone who has studied at one of these places will contribute his experience there. From these discussions, I gather that while these two institutes produced language courses in the past, they don't do so much anymore. It also seems that, in order to attend them, you have to be in government service.
Now, there must be similar institutes in other countries, but I at least have never heard anything about them. When other countries want to train their diplomats, soldiers, intelligence officers, or other government employees in foreign languages, where do they send them? Does anyone know? I'm also curious - does the U.N. or any other international organization have such an institute? There are obviously many standard language schools in this world, but what other serious intensive training institutes are there apart from these two U.S. ones? 4 persons have voted this message useful | |||
| napoleon Tetraglot Senior Member India Joined 5021 days ago 543 posts - 874 votes Speaks: Bengali*, English, Hindi, Urdu Studies: French, Arabic (Written) | Message 2 of 35 08 July 2011 at 6:04pm | IP Logged | ||
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In India, the CIIL (Central Institute Indian Languages) produces language courses for Indian languages.The approach in many of their courses is similar to the FSI and DLI courses with lots of audio and drills.
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| Zwlth Super Polyglot Senior Member United States Joined 5231 days ago 154 posts - 320 votes Speaks: English*, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Arabic (Written), Dutch, Swedish, Portuguese, Latin, French, Persian, Greek | Message 3 of 35 09 July 2011 at 12:49am | IP Logged | ||
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Thanks, Napoleon, for mentioning the CIIL. It seems like a very interesting place that produces materials for various Indian languages and promotes their study. But, as the name says, it is only for Indian languages, so that can't be where Indian diplomats go to learn, say, Russian. And where do Russian soldiers get trained in, say, German? And where do German government employees who need it get preparation in say, Spanish? Etc., etc.
Since I am thinking about this matter, I noticed an article in Haaretz about Turmenistan rejecting the Israeli ambassador, saying he is a Mossad spy because he was at the "National Security College in Glilot." So, I take it that is the Israeli version of FSI/DSI. 2 persons have voted this message useful | |||
| napoleon Tetraglot Senior Member India Joined 5021 days ago 543 posts - 874 votes Speaks: Bengali*, English, Hindi, Urdu Studies: French, Arabic (Written) | Message 4 of 35 09 July 2011 at 6:49am | IP Logged | ||
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Sorry, I misunderstood your question.
There's a Foreign Service Institute here in India too. I'd wager that they teach foreign languages there in addition to the normal training that a diplomat receives. However, I don't think that their language couses are available for the general public. 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Zwlth Super Polyglot Senior Member United States Joined 5231 days ago 154 posts - 320 votes Speaks: English*, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Arabic (Written), Dutch, Swedish, Portuguese, Latin, French, Persian, Greek | Message 5 of 35 09 July 2011 at 10:49pm | IP Logged | ||
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Napoleon, you didn't misunderstand my question at all, and I am glad that you reminded me of the CIIL, which I first heard about when Professor Arguelles did a video review of their courses a couple of years back (here). From what I gather, they are still actively producing courses and materials, whereas the U.S. institutes did this much more actively in the past than they do now.
It would only stand to reason that there would be a Foreign Service Institute with language training in most countries, but only the American ones are ever discussed here, so that's why I asked if anyone knew about others. Maybe none of these others ever produced course materials the way the Americans did? 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| napoleon Tetraglot Senior Member India Joined 5021 days ago 543 posts - 874 votes Speaks: Bengali*, English, Hindi, Urdu Studies: French, Arabic (Written) | Message 6 of 35 10 July 2011 at 2:51pm | IP Logged | ||
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Well, I'll admit that I wasn't aware of the CIIL myself before I watched that particular video review by the good ol' professor; bless him. :)
I think your'e quite right in assuming that unlike the FSI and the DLI in the US, the other institutes did not publish any language courses for general public consumption. Its quite possible that the other institututes adapted existing resources into their regular classroom programme. What do you think Zwith? 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| onebir Diglot Senior Member United Kingdom Joined 7168 days ago 487 posts - 503 votes Speaks: English*, Mandarin | Message 7 of 35 10 July 2011 at 7:18pm | IP Logged | ||
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| napoleon Tetraglot Senior Member India Joined 5021 days ago 543 posts - 874 votes Speaks: Bengali*, English, Hindi, Urdu Studies: French, Arabic (Written) | Message 8 of 35 11 July 2011 at 2:31am | IP Logged | ||
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Yes, onebir you're absolutely correct. AFAIK although the FSI and the DLI courses are in the public domain, the actual couses are printed by various vendors and not by the institutes themselves.
However, isn't that just semantics. What matters is that their courses are widely available whereas courses from other institutes are not. So, why did this happen? IMHO that's what the OP wants to know. 1 person has voted this message useful |
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