30094 - Spanish Language (LM)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student will have an in-depth knowledge of the fundamental concepts and theoretical orientations of Spanish pragmatics, as well as its main thematic areas (orality and writing, linguistic politeness, deixis, inferential communication, sociopragmatic varieties of Spanish) from a synchronic point of view. He/she will also be able to identify the fundamental problems associated with intercultural communication and handle a wide range of translation and intercultural mediation strategies to solve these problems. Through practical exercises, his/her communicative competence in all skills (both active and passive) will progresse towards level C2 of the Common European Framework of Reference, which will enable him/her to effectively interpret the socio-linguistic and cultural codes of the parties involved in a communicative relationship.

Course contents

The course is divided into three thematic blocks. The first block introduces the pragmatics of the Spanish language. After a description of the main theoretical concepts and schools, some of the most representative topics in the field will be analysed, such as the study of linguistic politeness, orality and inferential communication.

The second thematic block presents the concept of language variety as well as an overview of the different varieties of the Spanish language in the world, their extension and diffusion and their social, socio-political and situational aspects.

The third thematic block applies the previously learnt notions to the field of translation understood as intercultural communication. In the field of Translation Studies, it has long been clear that the translation process is a complex operation of intercultural mediation for which the mastery of linguistic skills alone is not sufficiente. Broader cultural skills are also required to transfer a source text into another language, another socio-historical context and another readership. This block will present the main problems that may arise when certain phenomena rooted in a given culture (and its linguistic manifestations) have to be translated into another culture.

Readings/Bibliography

Escandell, María Victoria (2013). Introducción a la pragmática. Barcelona: Ariel. (Cap 1-8).

Portolés, José (2004). Pragmática para hispanistas. Madrid: Síntesis. (Cap 6, 7,8, 9, 10, 12, 14).

Moreno-Fernández, Francisco (2020). Variedades de la lengua española. Nueva York: Routledge. (Cap. 1, 4-13).

Katan, David (2009). Translation as intercultural communication. in Munday, Jeremy (ed.) The Routledge Companion to Translation Studies. Nueva York: Routledge. 74-92.

Hurtado, Albir, Amparo (2001). Traducción y traductología. Madrid: Cátedra. (Cap. 5).

Alvarez Muro, Alexandra (2010). Cortesía y cultura. Traducis la (des)cortesía. Nadal 27. 11-48.

Pym, Anthony (2016). Equivalencia. In Teorias contemporáneas de la traducción. Materiales para un curso universitario. Tarragona: Intercultural Studies Group.

Information on further readings will be communicated during the first class and will be made available electronically during the course

 

Teaching methods

Practical exercises and explanations will complement each other throughout the course. Multimedia tools, ludic activities and interactive material such as audio and audiovisuals texts will be used to stimulate students' curiosity. Active participation of students in Spanish will be required. Feedback, with comments given by the teacher, will be provided in both a personal, general or group form depending on the type of activity.

Participation is strongly recommended.

Assessment methods

LINGUISTICS - Lectures

The exam consists of an oral test in Spanish on the theoretical content of the syllabus (study of the texts indicated in the bibliography and during the course, of the teaching material made available in electronic format and of the slides of the lectures).

The overall grade for the exam (language practice + theoretical lectures) will be the result of the sum of 1/3 of the grade obtained from the language practice (34 hours of lectures) and 2/3 of the grade obtained from the theoretical lectures (60 hours of lectures).

PLEASE NOTE: Passing the Language Practice papers is a prerequisite for admission to the Linguistics oral exam.

Teaching tools

Neuliep, James W. (2006). Intercultural Communication: A contextual approach. Londres: Sage.

Moreno Fernández, F. y J. J. García Sánchez, (2011). Catálogo de voces hispánicas, Centro Virtual Cervantes. Recuperado dehttp://cvc.cervantes.es/lengua/voces_hispanicas/ [https://cvc.cervantes.es/lengua/voces_hispanicas/]

Diccionario de español coloquial. Recuperado de:https://www.coloquial.es/

Office hours

See the website of Marcello Giugliano