Dr. Elizabeth M. Bergman

Dr. Elizabeth Bergman

Education

1992 - Ph.D. - University of Michigan, Near Eastern Studies
Dissertation:  “What the Old Ones Said:  The Syntax of the Moroccan Arabic Proverb," Ernest N. McCarus, Chair.  

1987 - M.A. - University of Michigan, Near Eastern Studies.

1978 - B.Sc. - Georgetown University, Arabic Language and Linguistics.

Courses Taught at Miami

  • ARB 201: Intermediate Modern Arabic
  • ARB 202: Intermediate Modern Arabic
  • ARB 230: Arabic Literature in Translation
  • ARB 301: Advanced Arabic
  • ARB 302: Advanced Arabic
  • ARB 311: Media Arabic
  • ARB 401: Advanced Arabic Conversation and Composition

Professional Recognition

National credentialing program for interpreters  (2000 - present) 

  • Since 2016, the only lead rater for one variety of colloquial Arabic and one of three raters for that variety. 
  • Consult on composition of new colloquial Arabic certification examination for court interpreters; consult on revisions to current colloquial Arabic examinations.
  • Train consultants to write Arabic screening examinations for court interpreters; consult on issues of policy and performance.
Taalstudio, Netherlands (2004 - present)
  • Research and write language analysis reports on behalf of applicants for political asylum.

Startalk Project Reviewer, National Foreign Language Center, College Park, MD (2007 – present).

  • Review summer Arabic language programs in for high school students and professional development programs for Arabic language teachers.

Arabic Court Interpreter Screening Program, Administrative Office of the Courts, New Jersey (1995 - present).

  • Advise on policy at the state level, write Arabic screening examinations for court interpreters, and assess examinee performance.

Selected Publications

Books
  • Spoken Algerian Arabic.  Publications of the African Language Project. Springfield, VA:  Dunwoody, 2005.
  • Sketch Grammar of Spoken Iraqi Arabic (with Eerik Dickinson). Springfield, VA:  Dunwoody, 2005.
  • Spoken Sudanese Arabic:  Grammar, dialogues, and glossary.  Publications of the African Language Project.  Springfield, VA:  Dunwoody, 2002.

Memberships in Professional Organizations

  • American Association of Teachers of Arabic
  • Arabic Linguistics Society
  • International Association for Arabic Dialectology (AIDA)
  • Middle East Studies Association
  • Modern Language Association

Languages

  • Arabic: Classical Arabic (Superior reading); Modern Standard Arabic (Superior speaking, reading, listening, writing); Jordanian, Egyptian and Moroccan Arabic (Superior); Algerian, Iraqi, and Sudanese (Advanced).
  • French (Advanced speaking, reading, listening, writing)
  • German (Intermediate reading)         
  • Italian (Intermediate reading)
  • Spanish (Intermediate speaking, reading, listening, writing)
  • Modern Turkish (Intermediate speaking, reading, listening, writing)