30085 - English Language (LM)

Learning outcomes

The student has an in-depth knowledge of linguistic and discursive aspects of the English language, both from a synchronic and diachronic perspective, in its applications to textual analysis and translation. Through practical exercises, their communication skills progress towards the C2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference. Students are thus able to interpret effectively the socio-linguistic and cultural codes of the subjects involved in linguistic exchange.

Course contents

"Lezioni frontali"

Language, culture, translation: English and Italian compared

The course aims to explore the linguistic and cultural specificities of English, in a comparative and contrastive perspective with Italian. Students, through the analysis of written and audiovisual texts, will deal with the complex structures of the English language both from a linguistic and cultural point of view. The methodologies that will guide the course are contrastive linguistics, which is based on the recognition of comparison as a learning tool in the acquisition of skills in the use and understanding of a foreign language, and  cultural linguistics , which studies the relationship between language and culture.

The differences and similarities between English and Italian will also be presented from the point of view of language teaching, and highlighted in the practice of translation.

During the course the students will have to work with the teacher and individually on the following texts / films / TV series

1. Vicious (tv series, season 1 and 2)

2. Blackadder (tv series, season 4)

3. Afterlife (tv series, season 1)

4. Alan Bennett (2002) , The Laying on of Hands, Picador. (Short story)

5. Secrets and Lies (1996) (Mike Leigh) (movie)

 

For the program of "esercitazioni", please check the teacher's web page.

Readings/Bibliography

Patrizia Pierini (2004), Comparing Italian and English: An introduction.Roma: Aracne. (capp. 1-10)

Claire Kramsch (2012) Language and Culture. Oxford: Oxford University Press

Essays and articles uploaded on Virtuale platform.

 

 

Teaching methods

Attendance of all lectures and language classes is strongly recommended. Studies in Language Acquisition show that a language is best learnt through active class participation.

Assessment methods

Written exam on the topics of the course.

The written test will be divided as follows:

1. 2 open questions (about 200 words each) on the topics of Contrastive Analysis

2. 1 Open question on the texts analyzed in class, which will focus on linguistic and cultural aspects.

Detailed explanations on the exam procedure will be provided at the beginning of the course and will be available on virtual

Teaching tools

Lectures will make use of PPT.

Office hours

See the website of Valentina Vetri