30091 - Portuguese and Brazilian Language (LM)

Learning outcomes

At  the end of  this module, students should be able to reach Level C2 of the Portuguese language proficiency levels described in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Course contents

This course, entitled The Brazilian Portuguese, aims at providing a deeper insight of the portuguese language spoken in Brazil, through a careful exploration of the recent, sociocultural debate on the status of such a variety, either as a single norm or as a different language. In the first part of the course, we will examine the various sociolinguistic dimensions of the Brazilian Portuguese, reconstructing the historical evolution of this speaking community. In the second part of the course, focus will be on some essential aspects involving language variation, such as syntactical variation, which could better explain the differentiation process that the Brazilian Portuguese has undergone in relation to European Portuguese.

Readings/Bibliography

- Ian Roberts, Mary Kato (orgs.), Português Brasileiro. Uma viagem diacrônica, Campinas, Editora da Unicamp, 1993;

- Volker Noll, O português brasileiro. Formação e contrastes, São Paulo, Editora Globo, 2008;

- Marco Antonio Martins, Jussara Abraçado, Mapeamento sociolinguístico do português brasileiro, São Paulo, Editora Contexto, 2016;

- Mário A. Perini, Gramática descritiva do Português Brasileiro, Petrópolis, Editora Vozes, 2016.

Further bibliographic references will be given during the lessons.

Teaching methods

The module (60 hours) will be delivered through seminar. Students will read critical essays and participate in discussion. Students are also required to attend language lessons.

Assessment methods

Assessment will consist of an oral exam in Portuguese, which students can take only after passing the oral practice test. The exam  in Portuguese and Brazilian Language will assess students' knowledge of the content of the course, and their abilities to elaborate information critically. Part of the oral exam will focus on a discussion of a ten page dissertation. This has to be written in Portuguese and consists of an in-depth analysis of an issue illustrated during the course. Students will have to hand it in at least a week before the exam. The final mark will also test linguistic skills - both oral and written - with particular reference to fluency, clarity and students' capacity to use correct morphosyntactic  constructions and lexis. The final mark is an average of the marks of the dissertation and the oral test.

Teaching tools

 

Office hours

See the website of Roberto Mulinacci