31065 - Arabian Language and Language 1

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student is able to read, write and translate a vocalized elementary text knowing the basic morphosyntactic structures of the nominal and verbal sentence, is able to present himself and others and to ask and give information in simple situations related to familiar and common topics. Acquired skills are located between levels A1 and A2 of Common European Framework of Reference. The student is also able to classify Arabic both from a genealogical and a typological point of view. He therefore knows how to place it within the family of Semitic languages and illustrate its basic linguistic characteristics.

Course contents

The course consists of two parts: practical language class and official course.

Practical language class

The course aims at acquiring the basic phonetic and morphosyntactic aspects of the Arabic language. The first part is dedicated to the alphabet, with particular attention to the writing and correct pronunciation of the sounds of the Arabic language, the distinction between short and long vowels and solar and lunar letters. The second part deals with the fundamental elements of grammar, in particular the nominal and verbal sentence and the conjugation of the verb, and guides students to understand and formulate simple sentences, to present themselves and to express themselves on topics related to everyday life. The course also aims to develop basic translation skills through simple translation exercises from Arabic to Italian.

Official course

The course aims to describe the fundamental characteristics of the Arabic language at phonological, morphological and syntactic level and to illustrate the main differences between classical Arabic, Modern Strandard Arabic and colloquial Arabic. Particular attention will be paid to the question of diglossia, the root-form relationship and nominal and verbal derivations.

Readings/Bibliography

Bibliography of the practical language class

- S. Darghmouni, Kalima / parola. Lezioni di scrittura e grammatica araba con esercizi, Mondadori, Milano 2019.

- L. Veccia Vaglieri, M. Avino, Grammatica teorico pratica della lingua araba, vol. I, Istituto per l’Oriente Carlo Alfonso Nallino, Roma 2011.

- E. Baldissera, Dizionario Italiano-Arabo e Arabo-Italiano (Seconda Edizione), Zanichelli, Bologna 2014.

- Texts provided by the teachers.

Bibliography of the official course

- G. Gabrini, O. Durand, Introduzione alle lingue semitiche, Paideia, Brescia 1994 (except chapter II).

- M. Diez, Introduzione alla lingua araba, Vita e Pensiero, Milano 2018 (chapters I, III, IV, V, VIII, IX, X).

- G. Mion, La lingua araba, Carocci, Roma 2007.

- O. Durand, Dialettologia araba, Carocci, Roma 2008.

- Further bibliographical information and in-depth material will be suggested and / or provided by the teacher during the lessons.

Teaching methods

- Frontal lessons

- Interactive lessons

- Activities in pairs and / or in groups

Assessment methods

The exam is composed of the following parts: a written test and an oral exam with the tutors and an oral exam with the course professor.

The written test with the tutors is structured as follows: dictation (20% of the value of the final evaluation), proof of comprehension of a short text and verification of lexical skills (30% of the value of the final evaluation), exercises to verify morphosyntactic skills (30 % of the value of the final evaluation), translation of short sentences from Arabic to Italian (20% of the value of the final evaluation). The use of the dictionary is not permitted. Global execution time: 2 hours and 30 minutes.

The oral exam with the tutors consists of reading a vocalized text and answering simple questions in Arabic on the text and / or on one of the topics covered during the course.

The oral exam with the course professor will consist in the verification of the acquisition of the studied subjects. To the vote of this exam will contribute the average between the written test and the oral exam performed with the tutors.

Teaching tools

Audio / video texts, power-points and other materials provided by the teachers.

Office hours

See the website of Ines Peta