Learning objectives
At the end of the course the students will acquire the aptitude to analyse and expound a text from a linguistic, hystorical, literary point of view, using the best tools with regard to the centhury, the social and cultural context, the geographical location or literary genre in which the text itself is placed. Using the skills they will have acquired the students will be able to solve problems of language’s history, and to make links, even facing with texts and authors they have not studied during the lessons. To be familiar with the different texts and tools, ancient and modern, will encourage the student to examine the subject in depth and extend his knowledge about. At the end of the course the students will be able to improve their disciplinar learning method even in view of the magistral course.
Furthermore they will be familiar with the tools of linguistic research like dictionaries, glossaries, historical grammars, literay reviews; so they will be able to cope with even issues, examine works of different historical period, or different genre, focusing the social and cultural context, the people who are addressed, and discovering the purpose of the message.
Prerequisites
Basics of Italian Literature and Italian Language History
Course unit content
The course examines the evolution of Manzoni’s thought about the Italian language by the analysis of Promessi sposi critical edition (Fermo e Lucia, Seconda minuta, Promessi sposi 1827), linguistic works, marginale notes, letters, contemporaneous writings by different authors about several linguistic questions. The purpose of this course is focusing on all the steps of Manzoni’s work, starting from the Fermo e Lucia until the first edition of Promessi sposi.
Full programme
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Bibliography
L. Serianni, Il primo Ottocento, Bologna, il Mulino, 1989
G. Nencioni, La lingua di Manzoni, Bologna, il Mulino, 1993
M. Danzi, Lingua nazionale, lessicografia milanese. Manzoni e Cherubini, Alessandria, Ed. Dell'Orso, 2001
Availability of documents and teaching material can be checked on elly.unipr.it
Teaching methods
The students will be guided to examine separate important texts in addition to the frontal lessons dedicated to the authors and their literary context. Every student will be guided to prepare a presentation that will consist in collection calaloguing, critical analysis of linguistic data. The presentations will be discussed during the final lessons. Attendance is strongly recommended. Non-attending students will have to contact the professor.
Assessment methods and criteria
Final exam will be an oral interview in wich the student will prove to be able to: 1) know the development of the linguistic issue between the seventeenth and eighteenth century; 2) put the authors and works correctly in the contest of Italian Language History of eighteenth century; 3) identify and remark on the peculiar linguistic features inside the texts using the most appropriate analysis instruments. Oral exam: the evaluation test establishes if students are achieving specific learning goals for the course.
Most relevant criteria for didactic evaluation include:
- Unsatisfactory grade (score <18): lack of basic skills.
- Passing grade (score 18-24): the exam is deemed to be passed with a minimum of 60% of right answers.
- Positive grade (score 24-27): students can certificate a good knowledge of basics; they give good oral exposition and develop critical thinking.
- Excellent grade (score 28-30 cum laude): knowledge of basics and advanced competences. Very good abilities in using specific language; excellent historical knowledge; argumentation consistency.
Nevertheless, interested students can be evaluated by the presentation of a scientific paper. The paper (of no more than 30.000 characters). It must be submitted to the examination board at least one week before the exam.
Other information
If interested in particular research projects, students can also request specific bibliography
:
2030 agenda goals for sustainable development
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