30619 - German Language (LM)

Learning outcomes

The global aim of this course – which includes lectures and practical language classes – is to develop students’ translation competence, which means to provide them knowledge and skills needed to be able to translate as well as to reflect upon the process of translation (linguistic, sociolinguistic, discourse competence). This will be achieved by analyzing and translating essayistic texts from German into Italian and by discussing the students’ translations. The focus will be on the main translation problems related to the German-Italian language pair. Language classes will be dedicated to translation exercises from Italian into German. Over the two year period students’ knowledge of German should reach level C1.2 according to the European framework in all four abilities; these classes will work in connection with the lectures to improve students’ translation skills.

Course contents

Course contents

The course consists of 60 hours of formal classes (lezioni frontali). Please remember that this course goes together with a language learning course (esercitazioni).

Formal classes (with Prof. Barbara Ivancic): The aim of the course is to promote reflection on translation starting from the description of linguistic and textual phenomena. To this aim texts belonging to different text types will be proposed to the students and translated from German into Italian. The translation exercise aims to underline the main translation problems related to the German-Italian language pair.

The language learning course (esercitazioni with collaboratore ed esperto linguistico/CEL) will be dedicated to the translation exercises from Italian into German.

Both courses will take place in the second semester.

For didactic reasons, first year students are highly recommended to choose this course alongside with "Mediazione-Tedesca".

Readings/Bibliography

Albrecht, Jörn (2005): Übersetzung und Linguistik. Tübingen: Narr [Teil I: Allgemeine Gesichtspunkte, S. 1-77; Teil II: Übersetzung und Linguistik im engeren Sinn (4.+5.), S. 77-161].

Kolb, Susanne (2012): “Le meraviglie del web per i traduttori. Dizionari e corpora online per tradurre dal tedesco”, in Tradurre, pratiche teorie strudmenti, rivistatradurre.it /2012/05/dizionari-e-corpora-online-per-tradurre-dal-tedesco/.

Linke, A./Nussbaumer, M. /Portmann, P.R. (1996/2004): Studienbuch Linguistik. Tuebingen: Niemeyer [cap. 4 "Semantik" e cap. 8 "Soziolinguistik", da 8.2. a 8.5].

*** Schreiber, Michael (2006): Grundlagen der Übersetzungswissenschaft : Französisch, Italienisch, Spanisch. Tübingen: Niemeyer [Kapitel 3: “Sprachenpaarbezogene Übersetzungswissenschaft”, 73-110].

Thüne, Eva-Maria (2009): „Von der dialogischen Ordnung zu Makrostrukturen im argumentativen Text“, in Dalmas, M. / Foschi Albert, M. / Neuland, E. (eds.): Wissenschaftliche Textsorten im Germanistikstudium deutsch-italienisch-französisch kontrastiv. Akten der Trilateralen Forschungskonferenz2007-2008. Villa Vigoni. Deutsch-Italienisches Zentrum / Centro Italo-Tedesco. 179-196. [disponibile come documento pdf nella sezione 'Materiale didattico'].

Further readings will be indicated in the class.

Language learning course (esercitazioni linguistiche): The chosen textbooks follow the CEFR's theoretical and methodological principles and are suitable for university students. Further information will be given at the beginning of the language learning course.

Teaching methods

lectures and seminar classes

Assessment methods

Formal classes (with Prof. Ivancic)
The exam consists in the translation of an article (text type: comment) from German into Italian. Text length: ca. 300 words; exam duration: 3 hrs. Assessment criteria : the formal correctness of the translation; the strategies adopted by the translation of Realia, the adequacy of the translation relative to the main function of the source text.

Language learning course (Esercitazioni with Cel): Translation of an article from Italian into German; further information will be given at the beginning of the course.

Teaching tools

power point presentations, texts

Office hours

See the website of Barbara Ivancic