77958 - Geography of Languages (1) (LM)

Academic Year 2019/2020

  • Docente: Elisa Magnani
  • Credits: 6
  • SSD: M-GGR/01
  • Language: English

Learning outcomes

The student acquires a full comprehension of the languages as cultural features linking the human communities to their territories, history and geopolitical evolution, with a particular analysis of the changes occurred in the spatial dimension of languages, in connection to acculturation processes and to linguistic policies. In this respect, the course will deal with the regional division of the European languages and with the EU language policy both in respect to minority languages and to the process of linguistic education of its citizens. The relationship between linguistic diversity and biological diversity will also be explored with a geographical focus on the issue of language death.

Course contents

The course will analyse the following issues: Linguistic geography and geography of languages; Classification of contact languages; Language and culture; Language and ethnic groups; Endangered languages; Linguistic policies and less used languages in Europe; The languages in Europe and in the world: origin, diffusion, distribution.

The course will offer two different programmes: the first one lasts 45 hours and offers 9 credits, and the second one that lasts 30 hours and offers 6 credits

Readings/Bibliography

THE PROGRAMME FOR STUDENTS NOT ATTENDING THE CLASSES IS AS FOLLOWS:

 

45 hours, 9 credits

  1. O’Reilly C., Language, ethnicity and the State. Volume 1: Minority languages in the European Union, Palgrave, Basingstoke and New York, 2001 (Chapter 1-2- 8 + a selection of 2 chapters form 3 to 7)
  2. Maurais J., Morris M.A., Languages in a globalizing world, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2003 (PART 1 + 1 Essay form Part 2 + 1 Essay from Part 3 + Conclusion).
  3. One among the following two:
  • Nettle D., Romaine S., Vanishing Voices. The extinction of the World's languages, Oxford University Press, New York, 2000.
  • Crystal D., Language death, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2000.

The selecteted parts of O'Reilly and Maurais-Morris books may be found withint the "Materiali didattici" del corso.

 

30 hours, 6 credits

  1. O’Reilly C., Language, ethnicity and the State. Volume 1: Minority languages in the European Union, Palgrave, Basingstoke and New York, 2001 (Chapter 1-2- 8 + a selection of 2 chapters form 3 to 7)
  2.  One among the following two:
  • Nettle D., Romaine S., Vanishing Voices. The extinction of the World's languages, Oxford University Press, New York, 2000.
  • Crystal D., Language death, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2000.
 

 

THE PROGRAMME FOR STUDENTS ATTENDING THE CLASSES WILL BE EXPOSED DURING THE FIRST CLASS AND THEN PUBLISHEDAMONG THE DIDACTIC MATERIALS

Teaching methods

In presence lessons, supported by the use of power point presentations, available among the didactic materials

Students will be invited to share a participative attitude during the lessons, by participating to class/group discussions, seminars and other cooperative activities.

Assessment methods

The examination is an oral one for which students will have to register for on the AlmaEsami website.

The programme is differentiated between attending and non attending students, as follows:

STUDENTS ATTENDING THE CLASSES

Attending students have to study the programme described during the first lesson and published on the power point "Presentation of the course".

Assessment methods:

For students attending the classes the exam will aim at testing their comprehension of the geographical, social, linguistic and cultural phenomena described during the lessons both by the teacher and the other students' presentations and discussed together. Participation to the discussion is a key element to evaluate the students, and with it personal reflection on the issues studied. Moreover, students will be evaluated on their communication skills and on the use of a correct terminology.

STUDENTS NON ATTENDING THE CLASSES

Non attending students have to study the programme described during the first lesson and published on the power point "Presentation of the course".

Assessment methods:

For students not attending the classes, the exam will aim at testing their comprehension of the geographical, social, linguistic and cultural phenomena studied, and during the exam they will be invited to propose a personal reflection on the issues studied. Moreover, they will be evaluated on their communication skills and on the use of correct terminology.

Teaching tools

The PowerPoint presentations used by the lecturer will be published on the website iol.unibo.it

Office hours

See the website of Elisa Magnani

SDGs

Quality education Peace, justice and strong institutions

This teaching activity contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.