ISLA-553 | Fall 2026
Hours: W 11:30-13:00
Classroom: Education Building room 629
Instructor: Prof. Pasha M. Khan
pasha.m.khan@mcgill.ca
Office: Morrice Hall room 312
Office Hours: MW 11:30AM-12:30PM by appointment
Please schedule an office hour appointment online
Continuing on from Intermediate Urdu-Hindi, students in this course will learn the remaining verb tenses and moods in Urdu-Hindi: the subjunctive and future, the past perfect, present perfect, and the perfective tense. Students will be taught by means of in-class activities and lessons, demanding a high level of participation, as well as homework exercises and tests. They will be familiarized with aspects of South Asian culture connected with the language, and will be exposed to Urdu-Hindi poetry and film.
Students in the course can use either (or both) of the following two textbooks, depending on whether they have chosen to study Urdu or Hindi.
Beginning Urdu: A Complete Course. By Fauzia Farooqui and Joshua Pien. Georgetown University Press, Washington DC, 2011.
Beginning Hindi: A Complete Course. By Fauzia Farooqui and Joshua Pien. Georgetown University Press, Washington DC, 2014.
These textbooks are available at the McGill Bookstore under the Introductory Urdu-Hindi course code ISLA-251D.
The course schedule and assignments are subject to change. Please pay close attention to any emails I send you, which will also be available on the website's announcements page.
Students may not use devices such as laptop computers, tablets, or phones in class, unless they are referring to their mashqs or an online version of the textbook. Excessive fixation on the screens of such devices will lead to a lowered participation grade.
Students may not use generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools in any assessment in this course, unless in cases of research or clarification of grammar or vocabulary outside of class. Violations of this policy will be reported to a disciplinary officer in the Faculty of Arts.
To request temporary accommodations, for instance if you need to be absent from or late to class for a legitimate reason like the flu or a family emergency, you may use the online Absence Request form. The form will become available on myCourses after add/drop, in the same module as the course outline. See the Participation Rubric further below to understand how I grade Authorized and Explained Absences. Note that you don't need to send me a separate email to explain your absence; the absence request will come to my email anyhow!
If you have a disability, whether physical or mental (anxiety, depression, etc.) please do not hesitate to let me know in person or via email as soon as you can, at any time during the course, and we will plan a course of action. I recommend getting in touch with Student Accessibility and Achievement. Please note that mark-based accommodations can only be made if they are requested via email by you (or via SAA). Do speak to me in person if you need to, but a follow-up via email will be necessary in order for accommodations to be made. I will also make note of any reasons for accommodation that you disclose via the Student Questionnaire.
Students affected by sexual violence or harassment may obtain accommodations via several routes, depending upon their situation. Survivors are not required to make an official report if they do not wish to do so. However, they are encouraged to consult the resources provided by the Students’ Society of McGill University or the Sexual Assault Centre of the McGill Students’ Society. They may also directly contact the Dean of Students, the Director of the Institute of Islamic Studies, or me. Students who make a disclosure to me should know that I will not report their disclosure unless they explicitly ask me to do so.
In our personal interactions, I value your comfort, and appreciate open communication. During any meeting in my office, all students have the right to leave the door open. If a student feels uneasy meeting in my office, they may specify an alternative location with which they would be more comfortable, or request a telephone conversation instead. Should any student ever feel that I have made them uncomfortable by my words or actions, even without intention, I ask that they please notify me as soon as possible. I wish to create a learning environment in which students feel comfortable speaking their minds regarding any matter, so that they can be confident and successful in their interactions with me.
Note that I will subtract marks for time management on any assignment that you submit late without an accommodation. Unless otherwise specified, assignments are due by 11:59 PM on the due date.
In the event of extraordinary circumstances beyond the control of McGill University, assessment tasks in a course are subject to change, provided students are sent adequate and timely communications regarding the change.
| Participation | 40% | Having a participation grade of at least 50% is a precondition for passing the course. Please attend class! Absentees without a documented excuse will be given a zero for each day of absence. Ask as many questions as you can in class and feel free to come see me during my office hours, but please make a habit of raising your hand and do not distract other classmates (or the instructor). Your participation grade includes grades given for mashq-based exercises carried out in class, and the taking up of your mashqs in the classroom. For a better understanding of how participation is graded, see the Participation Rubric below. If you have a legitimate reason for absence or lateness you may request an authorized or explained absence using the online form on the course website. |
| Mashqeñ | 60% | Mashqs (homework assignments) are taken up in every class. They will be graded 100% if you
Mashqs will be penalized if they are uncorrected when auto-correction is possible, or if they are incomplete, or late. Note that not completing mashqs will also affect your participation grade, which is largely based on taking up the mashqs in class. Late mashqs will be penalized according to the following scheme: 10% will be subtracted if the mashq is not handed in during the class in which it is due. Another 15% will be subtracted if it is not handed in by the end of the week when it is due (Friday). A further 15% will be subtracted at the end of each further week when it is not handed in. Late mashqs will be graded but not corrected. Please print your mashqs or on a blank sheet, write them out by hand or type them and scan them to PDF before sending them to me, or write them using a digital pen if you have one. There are many scanning apps that you can use on your phone to scan to PDF, or you can use one of the photocopier/scanners at the Institute in front of the elevator on the 3rd floor. Email your mashq files to pashamkhan+mashq@gmail.com. When you do so, please make sure of the following:
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After every class I assign a participation grade in my own database. Normally I don't calculate grades until after the course has ended, so that you have time to enter authorized absences. If you'd like, you can always email me to ask for your total participation grade, or for grades per class, but they tend to change a great deal by the end of the course. The grades that I put in per class are as follows.
| 5 | 100% |
Alertness Gives the instructor their full attention and makes eye contact. Sits within the instructor's direct range of vision. In general, appears very alert. Preparedness Demonstrates clear preparation in having done the readings before class. Has analysed readings exceptionally well, relating it to other readings for the class and other material (e.g., discussions, experiences etc.). Activeness Very active and involved in class discussion. Offers analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of readings; for example, puts together pieces of the discussion to develop new approaches that take the class further. Contributes in a very significant way to ongoing discussion: keeps analysis focused, responds very thoughtfully to other students' comments, contributes to the cooperative argument-building, suggests alternative ways of approaching material and helps class analyse which approaches are appropriate, etc. |
| 4 | 85% |
Alertness May seem sufficiently alert. Preparedness May seem sufficiently prepared. Activeness May seem sufficiently active. |
| 3 | 70% |
Alertness May seem moderately alert. Preparedness May seem moderately prepared. Activeness May seem moderately active. |
| 2 | 55% |
Alertness May not seem very alert. Preparedness May not seem very prepared. Activeness May not seem very active. |
| 1 | 35% |
Present but disruptive |
| A | 0% |
Absent. |
| AA | — |
Authorized absence: Grade for the day is dropped from the total (no penalty). You can request an authorized absence through the Authorized Absence Request form. AAs normally require documentation, which you should email to me. However, do not send me medical notes unless you are ill for more than 5 days. You can submit AA requests for missed classes till classes end. |
| EA | — |
Explained absence: Grade is lower than average. Exact grade is at the instructor's discretion. You can request an explained absence through the Authorized Absence Request form. EAs do not require documentation. You can submit EA requests for missed classes till classes end. |
Subject to change! Please follow the list of readings on the course website and pay attention to announcements via email, and in class.
| Wed Sep. 2, 2026 |
27. V-ne denā Read: Urdu 381-384 / Hindi 379-382 |
| Wed Sep. 9, 2026 |
27. The Verb pānā Read: Urdu 384-386 / Hindi 382-384 Due: Mashq 88 |
| Wed Sep. 9, 2026 |
28. Expressions of Compulsion Read: Urdu 388-394 / Hindi 386-392 Due: Mashq 89 |
| Wed Sep. 16, 2026 |
29. The Subjunctive: Introduction Read: Urdu 396-399 / Hindi 394-397 Due: Mashq 91 |
| Wed Sep. 16, 2026 |
29. Expressing What One Wants Others to Do Read: Urdu 399-403 / Hindi 397-401 Due: Mashq 94 |
| Wed Sep. 23, 2026 |
31. The Future Verb Tense Read: Urdu 414-415 / Hindi 412-413 Due: Mashq 97 |
| Wed Sep. 23, 2026 |
31. Invitations and Plans Read: Urdu 416-423 / Hindi 414-421 Due: Mashq 99 |
| Wed Sep. 30, 2026 |
32. Using the Subjunctive with Subordinating Expressions Read: Urdu 426-437 / Hindi 424-435 Due: Mashq 101 |
| Wed Sep. 30, 2026 |
33. How Long It Takes and How Much It Costs Read: Urdu 440 / Hindi 438 Due: Mashq 103 |
| Wed Oct. 7, 2026 |
33. Imminent Events Read: Urdu 440-448 / Hindi 438-446 Due: Mashq 105 |
| Wed Oct. 7, 2026 |
34. Giving and Following Directions Read: Urdu 450-456 / Hindi 448-454 Due: Mashq 106 |
| Wed Oct. 14, 2026 |
Reading break |
| Wed Oct. 21, 2026 |
35. The Conjunction ki Read: Urdu 458-465 / Hindi 456-463 Due: Mashq 108 |
| Wed Oct. 21, 2026 |
37. The Perfective Verb Tense Read: Urdu 486-490 / Hindi 484-488 Due: Mashq 110 |
| Wed Oct. 28, 2026 |
37. Transitive and Intransitive Verbs Read: Urdu 491-493 / Hindi 489-490 Due: Mashq 111 |
| Wed Oct. 28, 2026 |
37. The Perfective of Transitive Verbs Read: Urdu 493-495 / Hindi 491-493 Due: Mashq 113 |
| Wed Nov. 4, 2026 |
38. Additional Points Read: Urdu 495-502 / Hindi 493-500 Due: Mashq 115 |
| Wed Nov. 4, 2026 |
38. The Past Perfect Read: Urdu 504-506 / Hindi 502-504 Due: Mashq 116 |
| Wed Nov. 11, 2026 |
38. The kar Construction Read: Urdu 506-514 / Hindi 504-512 Due: Mashq 118 |
| Wed Nov. 11, 2026 |
39. The Present Perfect Verb Tense Read: Urdu 516-518 / Hindi 514-516 Due: Mashq 119 |
| Wed Nov. 18, 2026 |
39. Stating How Long You Have Been Doing Something Read: Urdu 518 / Hindi 516 Due: Mashq 121 |
| Wed Nov. 18, 2026 |
39. The Verb chuknā Read: Urdu 519-526 / Hindi 517-524 Due: Mashq 123 |
| Wed Nov. 25, 2026 |
40. Ailments and Physical Conditions Read: Urdu 528 / Hindi 526 Due: Mashq 125 |
| Wed Nov. 25, 2026 |
40. Expressing the Beginning of an Action Read: Urdu 529 / Hindi 527 Due: Mashq 126 |
| Wed Dec. 2, 2026 |
40. Compound Verbs Read: Urdu 529-539 / Hindi 527-537 Due: Mashq 127 |
"In accord with McGill University's Charter of Student Rights, students in this course have the right to submit in English or in French written work that is to be graded. This does not apply to courses in which acquiring proficiency in a language is one of the objectives." (Approved by Senate on 21 January 2009)
« Conformément à la Charte des droits de l’étudiant de l’Université McGill, chaque étudiant a le droit de soumettre en français ou en anglais tout travail écrit devant être noté, sauf dans le cas des cours dont l’un des objets est la maîtrise d’une langue. » (Énoncé approuvé par le Sénat le 21 janvier 2009)
"McGill University values academic integrity. Therefore, all students must understand the meaning and consequences of cheating, plagiarism and other academic offences under the Code of Student Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures." (Approved by Senate on 29 January 2003) (See McGill's guide to academic honesty for more information).
« L'université McGill attache une haute importance à l'honnêteté académique. Il incombe par conséquent à tous les étudiants de comprendre ce que l'on entend par tricherie, plagiat et autres infractions académiques, ainsi que les conséquences que peuvent avoir de telles actions, selon le Code de conduite de l'étudiant et procédures disciplinaires. » (Énoncé approuvé par le Sénat le 29 janvier 2003) (pour de plus amples renseignements, veuillez consulter le guide pour l'honnêteté académique de McGill.)