67053 - Chinese Language 2 B

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, students will have achieved and completed requirements for intermediate-level Chinese language skills. They will be able to explore Chinese literature and its associated issues, referring to the most up-to-date bibliographic sources.

Course contents

Each week, students will read, translate, and analyze texts of various genres (narrative, journalistic, scientific), corresponding to the HSK3 language proficiency level.

The goal is to identify key terms and expressions useful for learning the language in order to understand academic texts.

Week 1: "Women hold up half the sky." And what about the other half?
Week 2: Living in China: enclosed spaces, open spaces
Week 3: Intangible cultural heritage: Traditional Chinese medicine
Week 4: The Chinese job market for foreigners: challenges and opportunities
Week 5: Review and metalinguistic reflection. Group work

Grammar Program

-Verb constructions (degree complement; result complement; simple and compound directional complement; potential complement)

- Special verb constructions with 起来 (qilai)
- Causative verb sentences: 请 (qing), 让 (rang), 叫 (jiao), 使 (shi)
- The particle 着 (zhe)
- Sentences with 把 (ba) and 将 (jiang)

- Counting with large numbers
- Fractions (fenzhi)
- 除了....以外 (之外) (chule... yiwai)
- Passive sentences with 被 (bei) and 所 (suo)
- Identifying word groups with suffixes 场 (chang), 所 (suo), 化 (hua), 性 (xing), 代 (dai)

Readings/Bibliography

Required texts:

• Romagnoli, C., Grammatica cinese: le parole vuote del cinese moderno, Hoepli, 2012
• Romagnoli, Wong, Grammatica d'uso della lingua cinese. Teoria ed esercizi, Hoepli, 2016

Reference Texts:

•  Madaro, F., La frase: lingua cinese moderna standard: la frase semplice, il periodo composto, il periodo complesso, Cafoscarina, 2016.

• Paternicò, L. et alii, Il cinese per il lavoro. Hoepli, 2024
• Fisac, Moratto, Fundamental Structures of the Chinese Language: Topic-comment and other key structures, Routledge, 2024

The excerpts addressed in class are taken from original scientific articles written in the 2020/2025 period, adapted and taught by the lecturer.

All the texts are available at the Library of the Department of History, Cultures, and Civilizations (Section of Oriental Anthropological, Historical, and Religious Studies) located at Via Zamboni, 33.

Supplementary texts and slides are available on the Virtual platform and will be uploaded on a weekly basis.

Foreign students may contact the lecturer for an alternative reading list in English.

Teaching methods

In-class translations are focused on comprehension, linguistic analysis, and the translation of texts.

Grammar explanations cover the main linguistic structures, word formation, and compounds (deductive method).

Students are encouraged to derive grammatical rules and formulate hypotheses (inductive method).

Cooperative translation activities and flipped classroom approach: students present to the class the texts they translated in small groups, explaining morphosyntactic structures and key translation challenges.

The course’s grammar and vocabulary syllabus is collaboratively developed by the students using a shared online document.

Assessment methods

There are six written and oral exams throughout the year. The first exam will take place at the end of the course (May). Students are encouraged to register in advance and to withdraw if they no longer intend to take the exam during that session.

At the end of the course, both attending and non-attending students must take a two-hour written exam, which will be a grammar-translation test based on all readings covered in class. The exam will also include a comprehension test of an unfamiliar text.

Students who pass the written exam will be admitted to the oral exam, which will cover:

• Discussion of the written exam, with a focus on grammar and text analysis
• Three questions on one of the topics from the various modules (with individual research)

MA students (LM) and non-attending students must also submit a written report on one of the course topics and a portfolio with all translations and glossaries of the texts discussed in class.

Students are considered to be attending if they participate in at least 75% of the classes. The oral exam will last about 20 minutes.

 

Learning Assessment Criteria

 
The linguistic proficiency achieved in reading, translation, and grammatical analysis will be evaluated. For theoretical knowledge acquired through individual study, the following will be assessed:

• Mastery of content
• Ability to summarize and analyze topics and concepts
• Ability to express one's self adequately and using subject-appropriate language

Students who achieve a comprehensive understanding of the course topics and demonstrate critical thinking, good expressive ability, and mastery of specific language will be awarded top marks (27-30).

Good marks will be awarded if the student exhibits a purely mnemonic knowledge of the subject, along with the ability to summarize and analyze in a correct, though not always appropriate, language (22-26).

Knowledge gaps or inappropriate language – even in a minimal context – will lead to a passing grade (18-21).

Significant knowledge gaps, inappropriate language, and lack of familiarity with the bibliographic materials provided during the course will be assessed negatively.

 

Students who require specific services and adaptations to teaching activities due to a disability or specific learning disorders (SLD), must first contact the appropriate office:

https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students.

Teaching tools

Textbook, ppt, audiovisual matters.

Websites and apps, dictionaries

Students with learning disorders and/or temporary or permanent disabilities: please, contact the office responsible (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students ) as soon as possible so that they can propose acceptable adjustments. The request for adaptation must be submitted in advance (15 days before the exam date) to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of the adjustments, taking into account the teaching objectives.

Office hours

See the website of Sabrina Ardizzoni