75703 - Chinese Language and Literature 2B (LM)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, students will deepen and complete their intermediate level skills in the Chinese language; they will be able to deepen their knowledge of the relevant literature and related issues, referring to the most up-to-date bibliography.

Course contents

This course is in continuity with the Chinese course 2A.
It is possible to attend the two courses (Chinese 2A and 2B) in the same academic year.

Language
Elements of specific languages will be introduced, in particular for the study of history and geography.
The written language register 書面語.

The following grammatical elements will be studied in depth:

- use of the modal and aspectual particle le

- The particle 着

- verbal constructions
- the phrase with 把 and 将
- big numbers quantities

- 练... 也

Texts:

Reading and translation of passages of the following types of texts:

- 5 short texts as an introduction to the lexicon for the study of history, geography and anthropology: Geographical characteristics of China and some major cities; some monuments (Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven); traditional and modern architecture.
- A dialogue

All the texts will be provided by the teacher in class and will be available on the dedicated section on the course page after class.

Literature
Students are requested to submit a 5-page paper, complete with notes, bibliography, glossary in Italian-Chinese (simplified and traditional) of keywords, proper names and place names; chronological table of events or names cited in Italian, and Chinese (simplified and traditional).

The topics of the paper can be agreed with the teacher personally or by email.

Students in Erasmus or Overseas Project can submit the paper in English.

Readings/Bibliography

Language:
No need to purchase specific texts. Updated teaching material is provided before the lesson and can also be found by means of a username and password in the "teaching materials" section of the teaching page.

Suggested grammar book:
Madaro (2016) La parola - lingua cinese moderna standard, Cafoscarina.

Dictionaries:
Xu, Ardizzoni (2014) Chinese-Italian dictionary for the study of the Chinese language, BUP.
Zhao Xiuying (2013) The Chinese Dictionary, Zanichelli.

Websites:

www.mdbg.net

https://chinese.yabla.com

https://online.seterra.com/it/l/asi

www.infocina.net

Outline of Chinese literature:
Cheng, A. (1997) History of Chinese Thought, Einaudi. (Vol. 1).
Lanciotti, Lionello (2007). Chinese Literature , ISIAO.

Masi, Cento capolavori della letteratura cinese, Quodlibet. (Da pag. 130).

Sabattini, M., Santangelo, P. (2008) Il pennello di lacca, Laterza.

Students are invited to attend seminars related to the Chinese subject (literature, cinema, linguistics) whose timetable will be communicated in class and published on the homepage of the degree course.

Teaching methods

1. Frontal lessons
2. Work in small groups in the classroom and outside the classroom, for the preparation of self-correcting work to be returned to the classroom.

3. Use of ppt, videos, listening to songs for the reinforcement of listening competence;

4. Use of sites for the writing exercise and for the memorization of characters;

 30 class hours correspond to at least 50 hours of individual work.

For the preparation of the paper, therefore, the student is required to provide 70 study hours.

Assessment methods

At the end of the course students must take a written exam (2 hours) without a dictionary.
In one year there will be six written and six oral sessions:

2020: 25-26 May, 23-24 Jume, 6-7 July, 15-16 September

2021: 21 January, 8 February.

The written test will focus only on the linguistic-communicative part and on grammar (see programme).

If the candidate passes the exam, he/she can take the oral test.
Students who have not passed the exam or who are not satisfied with the grade cannot repeat the exam at the next session, but at the following one.

The oral exam is divided into two parts:
1. Linguistic assessment of achieved communicative skills  (dialogue in Chinese), reading and grammar skills. (50% of the evaluation)
2.Discussion on the submitted paper, from a methodological and content point of view. (50% of the evaluation).

At the oral test students will present to the teacher the portfolio of their study activities: a folder containing the learning materials, with the exercises of hand-copying of the lessons, glossaries, exercises (grammar, readings, translations).

NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS: Please note that they can access the complete materials in pdf form from the course website. - Oral test: same as attending students for the linguistic part. For the historical-literary part, they must also present a 5-page paper on one of the suggested topics.

The paper must be accompanied by notes, bibliography and a glossary of Italian-Chinese keywords (proper names, toponyms, concepts) and can be agreed with the teacher personally or by e-mail.

Native Chinese speakers: besides the written test as other students, students of Chinese mother tongue will be asked to translate a short piece of modern literature (Chinese-Italian) For the oral part, they are requested to follow general rules for the paper - which has to be in italian or English.

ORAL ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
The assessment of the oral test will take into account the student's ability to engage in dialogue in a language on a known topic, of an academic nature; to read a text in simplified and traditional characters; to answer questions about the text; to identify and explain the grammatical points addressed in class in the first and second year; to identify the thematic issues related to the text, as addressed in class (in Italian).
For the literary part, he or she will have to demonstrate that he or she is able to orient himself or herself within the sources and bibliographic material of the exam in order to obtain the useful information that has allowed him or her to produce the work on the chosen theme, framing it in a general perspective of the time and of the categories involved, knowing how to make connections with the wide scope of the knowledge acquired during the course of study.

They will then be evaluated on:

- The fluence and accuracy of the statement (four tones, the initials, the endings of syllables and the intonation of the sentence) - Listening competence

- Grammatical competence, on an operational and theoretical level - The ability to analyse linguistic elements in a text 

- The ability to summarise and analyse themes and concepts
- The ability to express oneself adequately and in a language appropriate to the subject being dealt with.

The achievement by the student of an organic vision of the topics addressed in the lesson together with their critical use, good expressive mastery and specific language will be evaluated with marks of excellence.

A mnemonic knowledge of the subject, together with the ability to synthesise and analyse it in a correct but not always appropriate language, will lead to discreet evaluations.

Gaps in training and/or inappropriate language will lead to grades that do not exceed sufficiency. Training gaps, inappropriate language, lack of orientation within the bibliographic materials offered during the course will be evaluated negatively.

The student who has presented the contents with particular ease, without hesitation and without errors, will be judged with top marks and praise.

Teaching tools

All lesson materials are available on the course website by clicking on the link "teaching materials".

Office hours

See the website of Sabrina Ardizzoni