Learning objectives
Expected results:
- Knowledge and understanding: students will be able to distinguish various textual genres and to evaluate their cultural specificity, even in a contrastive key. They will also learn the fundamentals of current theories on translation. Moreover, they will be able to identify different dimensions of linguistic variation when dealing with both oral and written texts.
- Ability to apply knowledge and understanding: students will be able to analyze complex texts on several levels, also with respect to variation dimensions in contemporary German, and translate them in an appropriate manner for the objectives of the target text.
- Autonomy of judgment: students must be able to critically discuss their own and others' interpretations and translation choices, selecting the most suitable for the situational context in which they find themselves.
- Communication skills: ability to communicate fluently in written and oral German, arguing effectively their positions and using terminology appropriate to the sectoral areas of textual linguistics, translation studies, sociolinguistics and linguistic variation.
- Learning skills: by developing the ability to reflect on their own work, students learn to improve their language and translation skills, also finding new paper and digital resources autonomously.
Prerequisites
Knowledge of the German language (at least B2).
Course unit content
Students will acquire high translation skills in German-Italian by refining their linguistic knowledge and textual analysis skills, as well as through the study of current theories on translation. They will also be able to consider the texts examined from different perspectives, including the pragmatic one and considering the holistic concept of “text” as a linguistic and socio-cultural phenomenon. Students will also be introduced to sociolinguistic concepts related to the German language (e.g. German as a pluricentric language, national varieties). Moreover, they will be able to identify and reflect on different layers and dimensions of linguistic variation in analyzing texts (e.g. through reference to the concepts of Sprache der Nähe and Sprache der Distanz, cfr. Koch/Oesterreicher 1985).
Full programme
In both modules, the course includes a theoretical part and a practical part. The first module aims to provide the theoretical foundations and analytical tools of textual linguistics and translatology, with particular regard to the publishing field. The working methodology and the acquired knowledge will then be put into practice, providing examples and exercises of various texts. These concrete cases will show the entire translation process, from the analysis of the source text to the production of a target text suitable for publication in the indicated context (druckreif).
The second module of the course will be devoted to introducing basic sociolinguistic aspects related to German as a pluricentric language; in this respect, attention will not only be given to diatopic, but also to diamesic and diaphasic variation. Drawing on authentic spoken corpora available on the Database for Spoken German (DGD; see http://dgd.ids-mannheim.de) of the Leibniz-Institut für deutsche Sprache (Mannheim), reflections related to, among others, the concepts of written (geschriebenes Deutsch) and spoken German (gesprochenes Deutsch) will be then applied to the discussion of texts and, among others, to intralinguistic translation processes.
Non-attending students are requested to contact the teachers during reception hours or by e-mail.
Bibliography
FIRST MODULE BIBLIOGRAPHY:
- Blühdorn, Hardarik & Foschi Albert, Marina (2012), Leseverstehen für Deutsch als Fremdsprache: ein Lehrbuch für die Lehrerausbildung, Pisa: Pisa University Press. ISBN: 9788867410477
- Moraldo, Sandro M. (Hrsg) (2009), Internet.kom. Neue Sprach- und Kommunikationsformen im Worldwideweb, Bd. 1: Kommunikationsplattformen, Aracne. ISBN: 9788854829190 (un capitolo a scelta)
- Nord, Christiane (2009), Textanalyse und Übersetzen. Theoretische Grundlagen, Methode und didaktische Anwendung einer übersetzungsrelevanten Textanalyse, Tübingen: Julius Groos Verlag. ISBN: 9783872768681
SECOND MODULE BIBLIOGRAPHY:
- Lessons 1, 3, 5, 6 of the MOOC “Il tedesco in prospettiva pluricentrica” (Eva-Maria Thüne & Simona Leonardi), which can be accessed at the following link (after registration): https://lms.federica.eu/enrol/index.php?id=265.
- Koch, Peter/Oesterreicher, Wulf (1985): Sprache der Nähe – Sprache der Distanz: Mündlichkeit und Schriftlichkeit im Spannungsfeld von Sprachtheorie und Sprachgeschichte. In: Romanistisches Jahrbuch, 36, 15-43.
- Schwitalla, Johannes (2012): Gesprochenes Deutsch. Berlin: Schmidt Verlag (selected pag.).
- Selting, Margret et al. (2009): Gesprächsanalytisches Transkriptionssystem 2 (GAT 2). http://www.gespraechsforschung-ozs.de/heft2009/px-gat2.pdf.
Further materials will be available on the Elly platform during the course.
Teaching methods
- participated lectures
- small / medium group and individual exercises
- analysis of case studies
The examples proposed in class will help students develop a method to be applied through in-depth studies and individual analysis paths.
The course is taught in German.
Assessment methods and criteria
The exam is passed when the learning of two modules plus lettorato has been verified. The final grade consists of the average of the partial grades obtained in each module plus the grade of lettorato. The lettorato test is preliminary to the two modules. On the contrary, no prerequisites must be respected in taking each module-exams; therefore, students will be able to choose whether to start from Modul 1 or 2.
1) Lettorato: students are asked to hold a Referat and to write a Seminararbeit.
2) Module of Textual Typologies: final oral exam lasting 20-30 minutes, which will consist of 2 parts, in German. One more general on the basic concepts of textual analysis (book by Blühdorn / Foschi), the other specific on a text type chosen by the student from among those dealt with in the volume edited by Moraldo, with a case study on a concrete text. (The examined text, in German, must be sent by email to the Professor at least one week before the oral exam).
3) Second Module: students are asked to write an essay in German (wissenschaftliche Hausarbeit; further instructions will be given during the course) to be handed in 7 days before the oral exam at the latest; the oral exam will be focused on the theoretical part of the module.
All tests will be in German, including the essays.
An insufficiency rating is determined by the lack of knowledge of the minimum course contents. A sufficient evaluation (18-23 / 30) is determined by the student demonstrating that he has learned the minimum and fundamental contents of the course. The average scores (24-27 / 30) are assigned to the student who proves to have a more than sufficient (24-25 / 30) or good (26-27 / 30) level of the evaluation indicators listed above. The highest scores (from 28/30 to 30/30 cum laude) are assigned based on the demonstration of an excellent level in the knowledge of the contents, in the personal processing capacity of the same and in the mastery of specific terminology.
Other information
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