13275 - Latin Language (1) (A-G)

Learning outcomes

Skills to be obtained at the end of the course:
1. the ability to translate the texts in Latin listed in the programme;
2. knowledge of phonetics, morphology and basic syntax; 
3. the ablity of carrying out a literary analysis of the studied texts (both in Latin and in Italian)

Course contents

I. SPECIAL FOCUS COURSE
Latin poetic language: a selection from Vergil, Eneid, book I (vv. 1-33) and book XII (vv. 1-80; 697-842; 887-952).

II. CORE COURSE
Latin Language: phonetics, morphology, vocabulary, syntax.

III. AUTHORS
Plautus: lectures from Amphitryon (argumentum I-II, vv. 1-261, 403-462, 882-945, 1035-1052). 
Seneca: On Providence. 

IV. CRITICAL ESSAYS
Introduction to the Language of Latin poetry (see Bibliography). 

SEMINARS

I semester: 
Beginners: students A-G: Thursday-Friday 11-13 (Aula C, via Centotrecento) from 6.10.2014; students H-Z: Mon 17-19 - Tuesday 9-11 (Aula B, via Zamboni 34): from 5.10.2014

II semester (starting from 6.2.2016) time and place will be communicated in the due time.

Lectures from Plautus, Amphitryon (O. Fuà): Tuesday 11-13 (A-G, Aula Pascoli); Thursday 17-19 (H-Z, Aula VI, via Zamboni 38)
Lectures from Seneca, De providentia (E. Dalchiele): Monday 11-13 (A-G); Monday 17-19 (H-Z)
Intermediate 1st level [morphology and elementary syntax] (A. Bertocchi): Tuesday 17-19 (H-Z); Wednesday 17-19 (A-G, aula Tibiletti [Zamboni 38]).
Intermediate 2nd level [translation and syntax] (C. Valenzano): Tuesday 15-17 (H-Z); Wednesday 9-11 (A-G; aula Tibiletti [Zamboni 38]).

WRITTEN TEST
The written test (a translation from latin into italian) is compulsory and must be overcome before the viva voice esam of Lingua Latina. The written test can be done only twice; a negative mark does not prevent from accessing to the viva voice examination.

Readings/Bibliography

I. SPECIAL FOCUS COURSE
Texts: Virgilio, Eneide, testo latino a fronte, introduzione e traduzione di E. Oddone, Milano, Feltrinelli, 2008; oppure Virgilio, Eneide, testo latino a fronte, traduzione di R. Calzecchi Onesti, Torino, Einaudi, 2005, or A. Traina, Virgilio. L'utopia e la storia, Torino, Loescher, 1997, or Virgil, Aeneid Book XII, ed. by R.Tarrant, Cambridge, UP, 2012.
Readings: almost 1 essay from the following list: A. Barchiesi, La morte di Turno, in La traccia del modello, Pisa, Giardini, 1984, 91-122; V. Di Benedetto, La consapevolezza di morte in Turno, "Rivista di Filologia e Istruzione Classica" 123, 1995, 45-72 (rist. in Il richiamo del testo, Pisa, ETS, 2007, 1779-1803; R. Tarrant, The Last Book of the Aeneid, "Syllecta Classica" 15, 2004, 103-29; A. Traina, Il libro XII dell'Eneide, in Poeti latini e neolatini IV, Bologna, Patron, 1994, 75-95 (rist. in Virgilio. L'utopia e la storia, 207-216); A. Traina, Turno. Costruzione di un personaggio, in Poeti latini e neolatini V, Bologna, Patron 1998, 91-120.

II. CORE COURSE
I. Dionigi – E. Riganti – L. Morisi, Il latino, Bari, Laterza 2011, or Verba et res. Morfosintassi e lessico del latino, 2 voll., Bari, Laterza, 1999; A. Traina – G. Bernardi Perini,Propedeutica al latino universitario, Bologna, Pàtron, 1995, capp. I-VI (on peculiar topics of phonetics, morphology, syntax).  As an alternative, Allen and Greenough's New Latin grammar, Ginn & Company, Boston-NY-Chicago, 1903 (both for syntax and morphology).

III. AUTHORS
Plautus: selected lectures from T. Maccio Plauto, Anfitrione, Bacchidi, Menecmi, testo originale a fronte. Introduzione e note di M. Rubino. Con un saggio di V. Faggi. Traduzione di V. Faggi, Milano, Garzanti, 2004, or Plautus, ed. transl. by W. De Melo, (Loeb Classical Library), voll. I-II, Cambridge Mass-London 2011.
Seneca: La provvidenza, a cura di A. Traina, Milano, BUR, 1997 (rist.), or On providence, in J.W.Basore (ed.), Seneca. Moral Essays, vol. I, London-Cambridge, Heinemann-Putnam, 1928, also available online.

IV. CRITICAL ESSAYS
Almost two essays from H.H. Janssen - W. Kroll - M. Leumann, La lingua poetica latina, a cura di A. Lunelli, Bologna, Pàtron 2011 (4a ed.), or R.G.G. Coleman, Poetic Diction, Poetic Discourse and the Poetic Register, and H.D.Jocelyn, The Arrangement and the Language of Catullus' so-called polymetra with Special Reference to the Sequence 10-11-12, in Aspects of the language of Latin poetry, ed. by J.N.Adams - R.G.Mayer, Oxford, UP, 1999.

Teaching methods

Lecture is the teaching approach adopted for the special focus course; interactive lessons are adopted in the seminars: here the students are more active participants to the learning process, which includes exercises and periodical tests.

Assessment methods

The final exam has two parts:
- a written test that consists in translating a short text from Latin into Italian (with the use of a Dictionary); the written test has to be taken before the viva voce conversation.
- a viva voce conversation, designed to assess the ability of the student to read, understand and translate the Latin texts listed in the program; therefore, the ability to answer questions about Latin grammar (phonetic, morphology, basic syntax); the ability to discuss the essays and the subjects covered by the special focus course.
- the exam can be divided into to parts (special focus course and core course and taken on two different sessions. The exam on core course has to be taken before the exam on special focus course (the second part has to be taken within two sessions)

Assessment guidelines:
failing grades: lack of basic linguistic knowledge (phonetic, morphology, basic syntax) and inability to produce a correct translation and a correct interpretation of the texts.
passing grades: proficiency in the basic linguistic skills; translation and interpretation of texts mostly correct, but inaccurate and lacking in autonomy.
positive grades: language proficiency at an intermediate level; translation and interpretation of the texts fully correct, but not always accurate and autonomous.
excellent grades: language proficiency at an upper-mid level; translation and interpretation of the texts not only correct but performed with autonomy and precision.

Teaching tools

Lectures in classroom are scheduled in the II semester (III period). In addiction to lectures, there will be seminars, focused on beginners or intermediate linguistic skills, as well as on the Latin texts required for the exam.
In the first semester (periods I-II), there will be the beginners course. Students who have never studied Latine before are required to attend it, in order to face the exam.
In the second semester (periods III-IV) there will be further seminars, devoted to Latin translation (for the written test), introduction to Latin language (phonetics, morphology and syntax) and to the Texts required for the exam.
Online teaching materials will be provided (see webpage above) and handouts with the same content will be spread in class.

Office hours

See the website of Francesco Citti