EALC
Encyclopedia
In American universities, EALC refers to East Asian Languages and Civilizations (or Cultures), and is the term for the department of East Asian studies
, which studies this region of the world.
In terms of scope, the region is East Asia
, however defined – roughly, the Sinosphere
(region of traditional Chinese cultural influence), and can be narrowly defined as China and Northeast Asia
(China
, Japan
, and Korea
), as at the University of Chicago
, or more broadly to also include Vietnam
, Mongolia
, and smaller groups such as Manchuria
and Uyghurs
– hence shading into Southeast Asian studies
and Central Asian studies
– as at Harvard.
The department name, which features "Languages", is because of the central place that language learning plays in these studies – primary research and most secondary research in the region requires faculty in the language, but due to the foreignness of East Asian languages
(compared with English), students frequently require 4 or 5 years of coursework in the language before they have sufficient faculty to pursue studies. In the Sinosphere specifically, the time required to learn Chinese character
s further adds to the time required, and thus EALC is a rather demanding course of study for those who do not already speak one of the languages in question.
By the graduate level (and advanced undergraduate), students are expected to have faculty with the language, and are frequently involved in then teaching it.
East Asian studies
East Asian Studies is a distinct multidisciplinary field of scholarly enquiry and education that promotes a broad humanistic understanding of East Asia past and present...
, which studies this region of the world.
In terms of scope, the region is East Asia
East Asia
East Asia or Eastern Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms...
, however defined – roughly, the Sinosphere
Sinosphere
In areal linguistics, Sinosphere refers to a grouping of countries and regions that are currently inhabited with a majority of Chinese population or were historically under Chinese cultural influence...
(region of traditional Chinese cultural influence), and can be narrowly defined as China and Northeast Asia
Northeast Asia
Northeast Asia and Northeastern Asia refers to the northeastern subregion of Asia. Though the precise definition of Northeast Asia changes according to context, it always includes Japan and the Korean Peninsula, and is sometimes used to refer to these two regions exclusively.-Definitions:The...
(China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, and Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
), as at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
, or more broadly to also include Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, Mongolia
Mongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
, and smaller groups such as Manchuria
Manchuria
Manchuria is a historical name given to a large geographic region in northeast Asia. Depending on the definition of its extent, Manchuria usually falls entirely within the People's Republic of China, or is sometimes divided between China and Russia. The region is commonly referred to as Northeast...
and Uyghurs
Uyghur people
The Uyghur are a Turkic ethnic group living in Eastern and Central Asia. Today, Uyghurs live primarily in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in the People's Republic of China...
– hence shading into Southeast Asian studies
Southeast Asian studies
Southeast Asian Studies refers to research and education on the language, culture, and history of the different states and ethnic groups of Southeast Asia.-Publication:Southeast Asian Studies is also the English name of the Japanese scholarly journal...
and Central Asian studies
Central Asian studies
Central Asian studies is the discipline of studying the culture, history, and languages of Central Asia. The roots of Central Asian studies as a social science discipline goes to 19th century Anglo-Russian Great Game...
– as at Harvard.
The department name, which features "Languages", is because of the central place that language learning plays in these studies – primary research and most secondary research in the region requires faculty in the language, but due to the foreignness of East Asian languages
East Asian languages
East Asian languages describe two notional groupings of languages in East and Southeast Asia:* Languages which have been greatly influenced by Classical Chinese and the Chinese writing system, in particular Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese .* The larger grouping of languages includes the...
(compared with English), students frequently require 4 or 5 years of coursework in the language before they have sufficient faculty to pursue studies. In the Sinosphere specifically, the time required to learn Chinese character
Chinese character
Chinese characters are logograms used in the writing of Chinese and Japanese , less frequently Korean , formerly Vietnamese , or other languages...
s further adds to the time required, and thus EALC is a rather demanding course of study for those who do not already speak one of the languages in question.
By the graduate level (and advanced undergraduate), students are expected to have faculty with the language, and are frequently involved in then teaching it.
External links
- East Asian Languages and Civilizations at Harvard
- East Asian Languages & Civilizations at the University of ChicagoUniversity of ChicagoThe University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...