31311 - Arabic Linguistics and Language 3

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student has an in-depth knowledge of the morphosyntactic structures of the language and a more articulate linguistic-communicative competence. He can move in events that occur outside the common sphere, can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, and is able to understand and produce texts on different topics and activities related to the world of work and to society in general. He has an articulated knowledge of the four language skills described in the parameters set by the Council of Europe. His acquired skills are located between levels B1 and B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference. He also knows the main cultural characteristics of the modern and contemporary Arab world and is able to analyze short authentic contemporary texts of different genres, recognizing their stylistic differences and lexical significance.

Course contents

The course consists of two parts: practical language class (prof. Sana Darghmouni) and official course (prof. Ines Peta).

Practical language class (prof. Darghmouni)

The course aims to complete the morphosyntactic aspects of the Arabic language. In particular, we will study the passive, the particularities of the hamzated verbs, the weak verbs and the geminate verbs, and we will guide the students to understand and use specialized and sectorial languages, with particular regard to tourism, work, health and services in general. The translation skills will also be implemented, in particular through the translation of literary texts and newspaper articles from Arabic to Italian and through the translation of selected phrases and texts from Italian to Arabic.

Official course (prof. Peta)

The course aims to stimulate a linguistic and cultural reflection on the period from Nahda to the contemporary age through the description of the main historical and cultural events that characterized the entry of the Arab world into "modernity" and the guided analysis of authentic texts belonging to different genres. In particular, we will examine works of modern and contemporary fiction, political speeches, religious texts and articles taken from the Arab press. In this way, students will consolidate their language skills and translation skills, acquiring awareness of the lexical and stylistic differences related to the different contexts and of the translation strategies to adequately transpose them into the receiving language and culture.

 

Readings/Bibliography

Bibliography of the practical language class

- S. Darghmouni, Kalima / parola. Lezioni di scrittura e grammatica araba con esercizi, vol. 2, Mondadori, Milano 2019.

- S. Darghmouni, Arabo per affari. Guida al linguaggio nel mondo del lavoro, Hoepli, Milano 2016.

- E. Baldissera, Dizionario Italiano-Arabo e Arabo-Italiano (Second Edition), Zanichelli, Bologna 2014.

- R. Traini (con la collaborazione di Maria Nallino), Vocabolario arabo-italiano, Istituto per l’Oriente Carlo Alfonso Nallino, Roma, edizione 2015 (photomechanical reprint).

- Texts provided by the teacher and available on IOL platform.

Bibliography of the official course

- A. Hourani, Storia dei popoli arabi, Mondadori, Milano: Parte III - Part IV - Part V

- H. Toelle e K. Zakharia, Alla scoperta della letteratura araba, dal VI secolo ai nostri giorni, ARGO, Lecce, 2010: Part II - Part III

- I. Camera D’Afflitto, Letteratura araba contemporanea. Dalla nahḍah a oggi, Carocci, Roma 2011.

- Giovanni Filoramo (a cura di), Le religioni e il mondo moderno, vol. III (Islam), Einaudi, Torino 2009.

- O. Nahli, Lingua araba. Il sistema verbale, Plus-Pisa University Press, Pisa 2010.

- Authentic Arabic texts provided by the teacher and in-depth material available on IOL platform.

Teaching methods

Due to the Covid-19 emergency, and following the decision taken by the Department of Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures, this course will combine in the first semester two teaching methods:

a) Live online (50% of lessons). All students will attend online. Lessons will be held on the Microsoft Teams platform.

b) Live on-site and online (50% of lessons). Students will be required to alternate on-site and online shifts in order to ensure the necessary form of social distancing.

In the second semester, health situation permitting, the lessons will return live on-site.

Compatibly with this, the course will include:

1) Frontal lessons

2) Interactive lessons

3) Activities in pairs and / or in groups

Assessment methods

The exam is composed of the following parts:

a) a written test and an oral exam with the tutor (prof. Darghmouni)

b) An oral exam with the course professor (prof. Peta).

a.1) The written test with the tutor is structured as follows: proof of comprehension of a text and verification of lexical skills (30% of the value of the final evaluation), exercises to verify morphosyntactic skills (30% of the value of the final evaluation), translation of a short text from Arabic to Italian and of a short text from Italian to Arabic (40% of the value of the final evaluation). The use of the dictionary is permitted. Global execution time: 2 hours and 30 minutes.

a.2) The oral exam with the tutor consists of reading a non-vocalized text and answering questions in Arabic on the text and / or on one of the topics covered during the course.

b) The oral exam with the course professor will consist in: 1) reading and translation 2) morphosyntactic and lexical questions 3) theoretical question on contents. To the vote of this exam will contribute the average between the written test and the oral exam performed with the tutor.

Teaching tools

They are used interactive methods requiring the involvement of students with personal exhibitions written and oral on some specific issue

Office hours

See the website of Ines Peta