00489 - Latin Grammar

Learning outcomes

Knowledge to be obtained by the end of the course: 1) the student knows the morphosyntax of the Latin language at an intermediate level
 2) he knows some basic elements of Latin metrics
 3) he knows some basic elements of the history of the Latin language aimed to provide a full understanding of the main syntactic structures. 

Skills to be obtained by the end of the course: 1) he can recognize and describe appropriately the main morphosyntatic structures
 2) he can read Latin metrics scanning the texts listed in the programme 3) he can produce simple sentences in Latin
 4) he can translate and analyze previously seen texts.

Course contents

SPECIAL FOCUS COURSE

Rhetoric and philosophy: the philosophical language of Cicero between the genres of oratory (Pro Murena) and philosophical treatise (Paradoxa Stoicorum). 

Starting from the speech Pro Murena, in which Cicero faces a Stoic of rigid observance (Cato of Utica), the course will highlight the different way of exploiting philosophical language in speeches oriented to a broad audience and in treatises rather conceived for expert readers; the parallel between Pro Murena and Paradoxa Stoicorum (a selection of passages) will be aimed to this purpose.

CORE COURSE

Latin grammar (particularly syntax) will be examined at an advanced level; basic knowledge of historical grammar will be consolidated

LATIN TEXTS students are required to read in original language all the Pro Murena and the parts of Paradoxa Stoicorum indicated in the Special focus course.

HANDBOOK, see below, Bibliography.

CRITICAL ESSAYS

one out of the essays listed below, in Bibliography.

the course will start on February 3.

Students who don't attend the course are required to read the whole Paradoxa Stoicorum. The other part of the program remains unchanged.

 Erasmus students are required to contact the teacher BEFORE making definitive their learning Agreement.

Readings/Bibliography

LATIN TEXTS

Cicero's Pro L. Murena Oratio, Introduction and commentary by Elaine Fantham Oxford University Press, 2013 (with useful linguistic notes); for the translation into Italian, see Marco Tullio Cicerone, Due scandali politici, introduzione di G. Ferrara, traduzione di C. Giussani; premessa al testo di S. Rizzo, Milano, BUR 1998.

Paradoxa Stoicorum, Cicerone. I paradossi degli Stoici, Introduzione, traduzione e note di R. Badalì, Milano, BUR, 2003.

Integrations for linguistic analysis will be available among the teaching materials.

HANDBOOKS
For students that know Latin syntax at an intermediate level: Grammar and syntax: Dionigi – E. Riganti – L. Morisi, Il latino, Bari, Laterza 2011 (= Verba et res. Morfosintassi e lessico del latino, 2 voll., Bari, Laterza, 1999).

For students who knows Latin grammar at an upper-intermediate level will more profitably use Bologna, Cappelli 1985; or I. Dionigi – E. Riganti – L. Morisi, Il latino, Bari, Laterza 2011 (= Verba et res. Morfosintassi e lessico del latino, 2 voll., Bari, Laterza, 1999).
Historical grammar: A. Traina - G.B. Perini, Propedeutica al latino universitario, Bologna (Patron) 1995, capp. I-V.

CRITICAL ESSAYS
Students are required to select one of the following readings (the choice will be expanded during the classes):

1) M. Graver, The dregs of Romulus: Stoic philosophy in Cicero's «Pro Murena» and «De oratore», Ciceroniana on Line: Rivista di Studi Ciceroniani / Revue d'Études Cicéroniennes,2017 67-95

2) P. Gagliardi, Cicerone e lo stoicismo: (note a Pro Mur. 58-77), Vichiana 2 (1991) 231-239 and C. Moatti, Droit et politique dans le Pro Murena de Cicéron, Revue Historique de Droit Français et Étranger 61, 1983, 515-530.

3) E. Narducci, Emanuele, Perceptions of exile in Cicero: the philosophical interpretation of a real experience, in American Journal of Philology 118.1, 1997, 55-73.

4) C. Lévy, Cicéron créateur du vocabulaire latin de la connaissance: essai de synthèse, in La langue latine, langue de la philosophie: actes du colloque organisé par l'Ecole française de Rome avec le concours de l'Université de Rome «La Sapienza » : (Rome, 17-19 mai 1990), Rome-Paris 1992, pp. 91-106.

 

Teaching methods

Lectures; interactive lessons with exercises and readings of Latin texts in the original language, aimed to control the learning proces. A laboratory on grammar with exercises on syntax will be activated.

Assessment methods

The final examination consists of a conversation with the examiner; the student will demonstrate to meet the learning objectives, in particular:

1) to have acquired an adequate knowledge of Latin grammar (phonetic, morphology, syntax) at an intermediate level, both from a synchronic and a diachronic point of view: therefore, to pass the examination it is required a good basic knowledge of Latin Language.

2) to know the content of the critical essays included in this program.

3) to be able to apply theoretical knowledge in practical situations, by performing translations and analysis of the Latin texts listed in the course contents.

Assessment guidelines:

failing grades: lack of basic linguistic knowledge and inability to produce a correct translation and interpretation of the text
passing grades: basic linguistic knowledge, 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 intermediate-hight level; translation and interpretation of the texts non only correct, but autonomous and accurate

Teaching tools

Materials to sopport teaching, whether in paper or electronic format, will be provided during classes or made available online

Office hours

See the website of Lucia Pasetti