28860 - History of the Italian Language (Lm)

Learning outcomes

The student enrolled in this course is expected to have just reached a moderate skill in Linguistics and Italian grammar. On successful completion of the course, the student will be able to learn and apply in practice the knowledge acquired, to use analyzing tools and to apply the methods of learning discussed in the course, in order to examine in depth and revise in complete autonomy his\her own knowledge. The student will be able to use the main instruments for the evaluation of a text, literary or not. He/she will be able to analyze any text and to relate it to the cultural and literary context in which it was produced, to its way of dissemination and reception, in a multidisciplinary perspective.

Course contents

All students are allowed to attend the course, even though it is useful to have attended the previous course in Language and Grammar or to have basic notion in Italian linguistics. Based on competence and needs of the attending students, previous lessons will be dedicated to a review or to an introduction of the use of linguistic instruments (like dictionaries, grammar books, books about the history of the language). Following lessons will briefly discuss the structure of Italian now, with a look at the historical developments that have contributed to this structure. The geographical aspect of the Italian language and literacy will be also discussed, with the description of the ancient vernaculars (volgari) and the contemporary dialects.

Later, the main circumstances in the historical development of the Italian language will be discussed, through the analysis of various and not only literary texts. Different readings will be proposed, in chronological order, starting from medieval creations that provide documentary evidence of the creation of the language and of its connections with the Latin, with prestigious foreign languages and with the dialects of the single regions. In this way, not only the student will face linguistic tangible realizations but he/she will also improve his/her ability of reading and his/her linguistic value judgement.

Readings/Bibliography

Students can chose the references, depending on competences owned and on attendances in the course. In general, for students that have not attended the course, the readings discussed during the lessons are not the set books and they must study a book in addition with respect to attending students. Attending students should study readings discussed during the lessons and two books among all following references. Not attending students should study three books among the following references.

I. Bonomi, A. Masini, S. Morgana, M. Piotti, Elementi di linguistica italiana, Roma, Carocci, 2010

M. Dardano, Nuovo manualetto di linguistica italiana, Bologna, Zanichelli, 2017

F. Marri, R. Lugaresi, S. Rizzardi, Riflessioni sull'italiano, Bologna, Dupress, 2008

M. Palermo, Linguistica italiana, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2015

L. Serianni, G. Antonelli, Manuale di linguistica italiana, Milano, B. Mondadori 2011 / Pearson, 2017

A. Sobrero, A. Miglietta, Introduzione alla linguistica italiana, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2007

P. D'Achille, Breve grammatica storica dell'italiano, Roma, Carocci, 2001

G. Patota, Nuovi lineamenti di grammatica storica dell'italiano, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2007

M. Durante, Dal latino all'italiano moderno, Bologna, Zanichelli, 1981

V. Coletti, Storia dell'italiano letterario, Torino, Einaudi, 1993

C. Marazzini, La storia della lingua italiana attraverso i testi, Bologna, il Mulino, 2006

R. Tesi, Storia dell'italiano, Bologna, Zanichelli, 2005-2007

R. Cella, Storia dell’italiano, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2015

F. Marri, P. Franceschini, R. Terreni, Prove di lettura, Bologna, Archetipolibri/Clueb, 2011

P. V. Mengaldo, Attraverso la prosa italiana, Roma, Carocci, 2008

L. Serianni, La lingua poetica italiana. Grammatica e testi, Roma, Carocci, 2014 (with historic-grammatical introduction).

Teaching methods

Taught classes with online connections.

Readings, analyses and comments of various books, of different age, with the possibility of cooperation with attending students on agreed topics.

Assessment methods

At the end of the course, an optional written final test will be available for students having attended the lessons.

This test will contain questions regarding topics discussed during the lessons and will require the students to analyze a text. The evaluation of the exam will take into account: 1) ownership of the institutional understanding of the discipline 2) ability to deal with, to analyze and solve new problems 3) accuracy and precision of the expression style.

The written final test is optional. However, if the student will successfully pass the written test, he/she will be exonerated from the oral exam.

The set books for the final oral exam are three of the books listed in the references of the student preferred choice.

The written test cannot be repeated.

The marks of the written test cannot be added to the marks of the oral exam.

Teaching tools

Other didactics materials are available at the following links:

https://iol.unibo.it/

http://www.sba.unibo.it/it/almadl

http://www.sba.unibo.it/it/almare

http://www.internetculturale.it
www.accademiadellacrusca.it
www.treccani.it

Links to further information

http://www.sba.unibo.it/it/almadl

Office hours

See the website of Fabio Marri