66995 - Armenian Language and Culture (2)

Academic Year 2019/2020

  • Docente: Anna Sirinian
  • Credits: 6
  • SSD: L-OR/13
  • Language: Italian

Learning outcomes


By the end of the course, the student will get a mid-level competence in Armenian civilisation and language. He will be able to critically discuss topics studied in the course with suitable and up to date bibliographic references.

Course contents

The course aims to strenghten the competence acquired by attending the course of Cultura e lingua armena 1. The student will choose if deepen the knowledge of the ancient language (grabar) or undertake the basic elements of the modern Armenian language. Passages (in italian) from medieval and modern authors (from 11th to 19th century) will be read and discussed. Passages in medieval and modern Armenian will be grammatically and linguistically analysed. Among the first, a fable by Vardan Aygekcʻi (XII-XIII sec.) will be proposed, among the second, some of the "Quatrains" by Yovhannes Thumanean (XIX-XX sec.). Special attention will be paid to the rich Armenian poetry tradition.

Attendance at the lessons is strongly recommended. Those students who cannot attend the course for exceptional reasons, are invited to contact the lecturer at least six months before the exam.

Readings/Bibliography

Bibliography for attending students:

1) D. van Damme, A Short Classical Armenian Grammar, Second corrected edition, Fribourg-Göttingen 1978 (the edition is sold out, but is available for copies at the "Giorgio Franci" Library, via Zamboni 33);

2) A grammar of modern oriental Armenian, such as D. Sakayan, Eastern Armenian for the English-speaking world: a contrastive approach, Yerevan, State University press, 2007 (as for those matters studied during the lessons);

3) R. Pane, La Chiesa Armena. Storia, spiritualità, istituzioni, Edizioni Studio Domenicano, Bologna 2011;

4) Canto d'Armenia, a cura di B.L. Zekiyan,
Bologna, Associazione culturale "In forma di parole", 1998;

5) Photocopies given by the lecturer or texts in electronic format.

 

Students who do not attend lessons are kindly requested to observe the above-mentioned indications.

Teaching methods


Frontal lessons, excercises of reading, analysing and translating short passages in Armenian language.

Assessment methods


The exam will take the form of an oral discussion. Students will be expected to refer to both the texts read and discussed during the lectures and the exam bibliography. A sample of Armenian writing (simple words, short sentences or grammatical elements) can be required.

Top marks will be awarded to a student displaying an ability to summarise, compare to each other and critically discuss topics raised in the course, including linguistic matters.

Average marks will be awarded to a student who has memorized the main points of the material and is able to summarise them satisfactorily, while failing to display a complete command of the appropriate terminology.

Training gaps and / or inappropriate language will lead to votes that will not exceed the sufficiency.

Training gaps, inappropriate language, lack of guidance within the materials offered during the course will lead to failed assessments.

Teaching tools

Blackboard, photocopies, power-point presentations.

Office hours

See the website of Anna Sirinian