English Ii and Mediation
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
The entry level required for this course is the B2 level of the CEFR (general English), certified upon passing the English I and Mediation exam. This course aims to further strengthen English knowledge, by particularly focusing on clause syntax, also from a contrastive perspective, in order to develop translation skills. It also aims to provide specialised skills in the field of Business English, by introducing the principles of translation (EN>IT and IT>EN) and intercultural adaptation. By the end of the course, students will have reached proficiency in Business English at level B2+ under the CEFR and acquired theoretical and practical knowledge in the field of oral and written specialised communication applied to professional contexts (specifically in the business sector) and to intercultural mediation, both in writing (translation IT>EN) as well as in oral form (sight translation EN>IT).
Expected learning outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be able to apply the linguistic knowledge acquired during the course to understand and produce business-related specialised texts at B2+ level under the CEFR. They will be able to interact efficiently in professional and business contexts, both orally and in writing, and to translate short texts pertaining to such contexts, at a semi-specialised level, both orally (sight translation) and in writing, .
Lesson period: Activity scheduled over several sessions (see Course syllabus and organization section for more detailed information).
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
A-K
Responsible
Lesson period
year
Course syllabus
The syllabus consists of three theoretical parts (Unit 1, Unit 2 and Unit 3) and four parts of compulsory language practice sessions (Skills A, Skills B, Skills C and Skills D).
The theoretical parts are interconnected but will be tested separately. They jointly pursue the goal of the English course, and of the degree course in general, to provide students with specialized language skills suitable for use in professional contexts.
(For a description of the language practice sessions, see the section "Assessment methods and criteria" -> PRELIMINARY LANGUAGE SKILLS TESTS)
The theoretical course is structured as follows:
Unit 1
Morphology and Syntax: from words to phrases (Term 1)
This unit lays the foundation for understanding the structure and function of language, essential for effective communication in professional contexts. Students will explore the intricacies of morphology (the study of word formation) and syntax (the arrangement of words and phrases). Key topics include:
- formal and functional categories: understanding parts of speech and their roles.
- the principle of embedding: examining how clauses are nested within sentences.
- analysis and description of clause constituents: identifying subjects, predicates, objects, and more.
- clause types: differentiating between declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory clauses.
- verbs and verb complementation: studying verb types and their required complements.
- word order: exploring sentence structure variations.
- aspects of contrastive syntax: comparing English syntax with other languages.
Practical applications include language consolidation exercises and sample translations to enhance understanding and proficiency.
Unit 2
Business communication: linguistic and cultural mediation perspectives (Term 1)
This unit focuses on the vital role of linguistic and cultural mediation in business communication, with an emphasis on genres and communicative contexts, conflict management, cross-cultural communication, negotiation and team dynamics. Students will gain insights into the nuances of language use in diverse business contexts.
Key topics include:
- Genres and media in business communication
- Intercultural business communication: Understanding how context influences meaning and communication strategies across different national & business cultures.
- Content marketing and advertising across cultures: telling the story of the company in an engaging way.
- Conflict management: Exploring linguistic techniques for resolving disputes and fostering cooperation.
- Negotiation strategies: Developing language skills for effective negotiation, paying attention to the use of persuasive rhetoric.
- Introduction to linguistic mediation with a focus on written mediation: Techniques for bridging linguistic and cultural divides to ensure clear and effective communication in business settings.
- Practical applications: Role-playing exercises and case studies to apply linguistic theories to real-world business scenarios.
Unit 3
Internationalization, localization and mediation (Term 2)
This unit delves into the global aspects of business communication, focusing on adapting content for diverse audiences. Students will explore:
- Internationalization: Preparing content for a global audience without losing its core message: marketing strategies, e-commerce & media discourse.
- Localization: Customizing language and content to suit specific cultural contexts: gaming, websites & audiovisual context.
- Mediation across cultures: Bridging communication gaps between different cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
- Translation & transcreation techniques seminar: a workshop with a professional transcreator combining both a theoretical and a practical output.
- Case Studies: Analysing real-world examples of successful and unsuccessful international business communication. The unit integrates theory with practice, involving projects where students create and adapt business content for international markets.
The theoretical parts are interconnected but will be tested separately. They jointly pursue the goal of the English course, and of the degree course in general, to provide students with specialized language skills suitable for use in professional contexts.
(For a description of the language practice sessions, see the section "Assessment methods and criteria" -> PRELIMINARY LANGUAGE SKILLS TESTS)
The theoretical course is structured as follows:
Unit 1
Morphology and Syntax: from words to phrases (Term 1)
This unit lays the foundation for understanding the structure and function of language, essential for effective communication in professional contexts. Students will explore the intricacies of morphology (the study of word formation) and syntax (the arrangement of words and phrases). Key topics include:
- formal and functional categories: understanding parts of speech and their roles.
- the principle of embedding: examining how clauses are nested within sentences.
- analysis and description of clause constituents: identifying subjects, predicates, objects, and more.
- clause types: differentiating between declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory clauses.
- verbs and verb complementation: studying verb types and their required complements.
- word order: exploring sentence structure variations.
- aspects of contrastive syntax: comparing English syntax with other languages.
Practical applications include language consolidation exercises and sample translations to enhance understanding and proficiency.
Unit 2
Business communication: linguistic and cultural mediation perspectives (Term 1)
This unit focuses on the vital role of linguistic and cultural mediation in business communication, with an emphasis on genres and communicative contexts, conflict management, cross-cultural communication, negotiation and team dynamics. Students will gain insights into the nuances of language use in diverse business contexts.
Key topics include:
- Genres and media in business communication
- Intercultural business communication: Understanding how context influences meaning and communication strategies across different national & business cultures.
- Content marketing and advertising across cultures: telling the story of the company in an engaging way.
- Conflict management: Exploring linguistic techniques for resolving disputes and fostering cooperation.
- Negotiation strategies: Developing language skills for effective negotiation, paying attention to the use of persuasive rhetoric.
- Introduction to linguistic mediation with a focus on written mediation: Techniques for bridging linguistic and cultural divides to ensure clear and effective communication in business settings.
- Practical applications: Role-playing exercises and case studies to apply linguistic theories to real-world business scenarios.
Unit 3
Internationalization, localization and mediation (Term 2)
This unit delves into the global aspects of business communication, focusing on adapting content for diverse audiences. Students will explore:
- Internationalization: Preparing content for a global audience without losing its core message: marketing strategies, e-commerce & media discourse.
- Localization: Customizing language and content to suit specific cultural contexts: gaming, websites & audiovisual context.
- Mediation across cultures: Bridging communication gaps between different cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
- Translation & transcreation techniques seminar: a workshop with a professional transcreator combining both a theoretical and a practical output.
- Case Studies: Analysing real-world examples of successful and unsuccessful international business communication. The unit integrates theory with practice, involving projects where students create and adapt business content for international markets.
Prerequisites for admission
The course builds on the competences developed in the first-year English language course (B2 level of the CEFR). A working knowledge of Italian is also required. The exit level is set at B2+ of the CEFR.
Teaching methods
The theoretical part of the course (corresponding to the contents of Units 1, 2, 3) is delivered through lectures, while language skills will be reinforced and partially tested during language practice sessions carried out in small groups. In addition, a part of the practice sessions (Skills D) is delivered in an asynchronous mode: i.e. the students are required to complete a set of exercises and tasks using MyAriel platform with final feedback by the language expert delivered through a Teams call.
NB: specific instructions for registering for the language practice sessions will be given on the course's MyAriel site.
NB: specific instructions for registering for the language practice sessions will be given on the course's MyAriel site.
Teaching Resources
Unit 1
Ballard, Kim (2022, fourth edition). The Frameworks of English: Introducing Language Structures. London, Bloomsbury. ISBN 9781352013078. Chapters 5 & 6.
Unit 2
Rathmayr, R. (2017) "Intercultural business communication: A linguistic approach" Chapter 11 in Mautner, G., Rainer, F., & Ross, C. (Eds.). Handbook of business communication : linguistic approaches (1st ed.). De Gruyter Mouton, pp. 221 - 248.
S. Lesk, E. Lavric and M. Stegu (2017) "Multilingualism in business: Language policies and practices" Chapter 13 in in Mautner, G., Rainer, F., & Ross, C. (Eds.). Handbook of business communication : linguistic approaches (1st ed.). De Gruyter Mouton, pp. 269-318.
Unit 3
Torresi, I. (2021). Globalization, advertising and promotional translation. In The Routledge Handbook of Translation and Globalization (1st ed., pp. 351-362). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003121848-29
Wang, J., & Li, M. (2024). "Brand transcreation as multimodal configuration: The (re)making of text, context, and meaning in brand semiotics". Babel (Frankfurt), 70(1-2), 89-. https://doi.org/10.1075/babel.00370.wan
Units 1, 2, 3: handouts and powerpoint files used in class.
Materials for language practice groups
-Business Advantage, Student's book, Upper intermediate. Michael Handford, Martin Lisboa, Almut Koester, Angela Pitt. Cambridge University Press.
Ballard, Kim (2022, fourth edition). The Frameworks of English: Introducing Language Structures. London, Bloomsbury. ISBN 9781352013078. Chapters 5 & 6.
Unit 2
Rathmayr, R. (2017) "Intercultural business communication: A linguistic approach" Chapter 11 in Mautner, G., Rainer, F., & Ross, C. (Eds.). Handbook of business communication : linguistic approaches (1st ed.). De Gruyter Mouton, pp. 221 - 248.
S. Lesk, E. Lavric and M. Stegu (2017) "Multilingualism in business: Language policies and practices" Chapter 13 in in Mautner, G., Rainer, F., & Ross, C. (Eds.). Handbook of business communication : linguistic approaches (1st ed.). De Gruyter Mouton, pp. 269-318.
Unit 3
Torresi, I. (2021). Globalization, advertising and promotional translation. In The Routledge Handbook of Translation and Globalization (1st ed., pp. 351-362). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003121848-29
Wang, J., & Li, M. (2024). "Brand transcreation as multimodal configuration: The (re)making of text, context, and meaning in brand semiotics". Babel (Frankfurt), 70(1-2), 89-. https://doi.org/10.1075/babel.00370.wan
Units 1, 2, 3: handouts and powerpoint files used in class.
Materials for language practice groups
-Business Advantage, Student's book, Upper intermediate. Michael Handford, Martin Lisboa, Almut Koester, Angela Pitt. Cambridge University Press.
Assessment methods and Criteria
Assessment is exam-based. The course has a modular structure and there is a test for each element of the course.
MODULAR EXAM STRUCTURE
The assessment consists of four preliminary language skills tests aimed at ascertaining language skills (see "Preliminary Language Skills Tests" below) and three theoretical content tests covering the three teaching units (see "Programme" above), followed by a final interview (see "Final Interview" below) with the course lecturers.
PRELIMINARY LANGUAGE SKILLS are taught during language practice sessions ("esercitazioni") whose attendance is compulsory. Only students who have attended 75% of classes for Language Skills A, B and C will be admitted to the exam. For Language Skills D, a monitored self-study module is envisaged (see below). Language skills will be tested as follows:
1. As far as written preliminary language skills are concerned (Skills A and C), attending students who have completed English 1 will have the possibility of taking interim tests (one at the end of the first semester, and another at the end of the second); the possibility of taking the test in the official written examinations always remains valid, provided students have attended 75% of overall classes.
2. As far as oral preliminary language skills are concerned (Skills B and D), attending students who have completed English 1 will be given the opportunity of ongoing assessment, during the relevant practice sessions for Skills B and during the feedback call on Teams for Skills D. Alternatively, students may take the respective tests in one of the official appeals - compulsorily, in this case, AFTER having passed the tests relating to the units that make up the official course. In this case as well students will only be able to sit the test if they have attended 75% of overall classes and completed the online training provided for Skills D.
Knowledge and skills related to the OFFICIAL THEORETICAL COURSE (Units 1, 2 and 3) will be tested as follows:
1. For students in good standing with previous year's examination, there will be interim tests at the end of each semester. The examination must then be concluded with an individual interview to be conducted with one of the course lecturers at one of the available ORAL examination days. Only those students who have completed ALL the tests relating to language skills AND the official course units will be admitted to the interview.
2. For students who have not taken the interim tests, the tests relating to the units must be taken during one of the official exam days (appelli orali), MANDATORILY in a single sitting. Should all or part of the examination not be passed, it is at the lecturer's discretion whether to keep the marks obtained for subsequent appeals.
EXAMINATION ORDER / ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
- To be eligible for the written exam (Skills A and C/ appello scritto), students must have completed the previous year's course, i.e. English 1.
- To be eligible for the oral exam (appello oralo, when you can sit theoretical Units and be attested in Skills B and D), students must have completed the written exam (either as interim tests or as an exam).
- To be eligible for the final interview (appello orale), students must have completed all other parts of the course (Units 1, 2, 3, Skills A, B, C and D).
For any questions, please, refer to the "FAQ" file and the course presentation on MyAriel.
PRELIMINARY LANGUAGE SKILLS TESTS
The preliminary language skills tests consist of four parts, called Skills A, Skills B, Skills C and Skills D.
1. Skills A: Grammar & Business vocabulary building (1 sem) lasts 30 minutes and involves working on several exercises aimed at testing your grammar (gap-filling and multiple choice). It is combined with the vocabulary building part, tested by selecting the meaning (multiple choice) of certain terms and phrases in the text. For this part, no dictionaries or other tools are allowed. Evaluation: 30/30.
2. Skills B: Transferrable skills & speaking (2 sem) aims at testing the correct use of business lexis in oral production through simulated dialogues and/or oral presentations on business topics. The test lasts ca. 20-30 minutes depending on the role-play which has been assigned to you. Evaluation: pass/ average / good/ excellent.
3. Skills C: Written linguistic mediation: translation of business texts into English (2 sem) lasts 60 minutes and includes a) writing a brief business email or social media communication and b) translating a business text from Italian into English. Students may use a monolingual English dictionary for this part of the test.
4. Skills D: Business mediation & sight translation (2 sem) is an asynchronous practice, which envisages the completion of a number of exercises on MyAriel, including a) recording one brief video of yourself to be shared with your Skills D lecturer and b) a personalized conference call on Teams with your Skills D lecturer, during which you will be asked to carry out a sight translation. To have access to the personalized call and feedback mentioned in b), students must have first completed the Skills D course on MyAriel. Evaluation: pass/ average / good/ excellent.
COURSE CONTENT ASSESSMENT
- Each unit (1, 2 and 3) includes a computer-based content test, which must be passed to sit the final oral examination (see "Examination order/eligibility criteria"). Each test lasts 30 minutes and contains 31 questions, for the total of 31 points, equivalent to 30 cum laude. The tests contain the questions with multiple choice, true/false and fill-in-the-blank answers.
- As written above (see "Modular exam structure"), these tests can be taken 1) during the official oral exam sessions, or 2) as unofficial end-of-course interim tests.
- If the student takes the course content tests as interim tests, they are typically held during the last lectures of the course, i.e., the Unit 1 and Unit 2 interim tests are held at the end of the first semester, while the Unit 3 interim test is held at the end of the second semester. In this case, the marks obtained for the interim tests of units have the validity of four examination sessions (see "validity of marks").
- If the student takes the course content tests during the official oral exam, he or she must take all three units during the same day and proceed to the final interview (see "Examination order/eligibility criteria").
FINAL ORAL EXAM
- Only students who have passed the three course content tests and the preliminary written and oral language tests (either as end-of-term tests or on the days the oral exams are administered) are eligible to take the final oral exam.
- The final exam consists of an interview with one of the course professors. Students will be given a short text on one or more topics of the official course ("the units") drawn by lot, supplemented by questions on other units. Students should be prepared to discuss the text critically and in detail and show that they have mastered the concepts covered in the course and can speak about them in a linguistically correct and academically appropriate manner.
EVALUATION
- The final mark is expressed in 30/30 and is calculated considering the grades obtained by the student in all the different tests.
- Preliminary written language skills tests (Skills A and C) are graded in 30/30. The partial result is published on MyAriel in the folder "TEST RESULTS".
- The preliminary oral language skills tests (Skills B and D) are evaluated by a verbal judgment (pass, average, good or excellent). The partial result is reported by the teaching staff delivering the language practice sessions and later published on MyAriel in the folder "TEST RESULTS".
- The tests related to the course content ("units") are graded in 30/30. Partial results are posted on MyAriel.
- Only the final mark is visible in the student's career.
IMPORTANT! The final mark is not an arithmetic mean of individual grades. Verbally expressed evaluation (pass, average, good or excellent) can add or detract points from an arithmetic mean. The course professors will give special consideration to the grades of the three theoretical units as well as the final interview. During the final interview, the course professor will assign the final mark, which may be reasonably increased or decreased in relation to the mean depending on the student's performance during the final interview and their general learning curve.
VALIDITY OF MARKS
- Grades for interim course content tests remain valid for four exam sessions, starting from the first official oral exam session when these can be used to complete the course. In other words, to count the validity of Unit 1 & 2 marks obtained in December 2024 and Unit 3 marks obtained in April/May 2025, you should start counting from June 2025.
- The interim preliminary language skills test grade for Skills A obtained at the end of the 1st semester remains valid only if the student completes the assessment of preliminary written language skills with Skills C during the second semester. In this case, the final grade for the written part of the exam remains valid for four exam sessions, starting from the last date (on which the grade for Skills C was obtained and the average for all written parts calculated). If the student does not complete the written part of Skills C after passing Skills A, the Skills A grade is cancelled. If the student fails one of the tests (Skills A or C), the grade for the other test is erased, too.
- The mark for the written examination, if administered during the formal written exam, remains valid for four examination sessions, including the one in which it was obtained. Please note that the formal (non-interim) examination is not divisible and all tests on the written preliminary language skills must be passed on the same day.
- The assessment for the oral preliminary language skills (B and D), if obtained as part of ongoing assessment, remain valid for four exam sessions starting from the date of the first official oral exam (appello orale), when you can use them.
- The marks for the unit tests obtained during the official oral examination are normally only valid on the day of the examination. The oral examination is not divisible, therefore all parts of the examination (excluding the written part; i.e. Units 1, 2, 3; Skills B and D and the final interview), if not previously taken as in-progress tests, must be completed on the same day. The possibility of extending the validity of successful unit tests obtained on the official exam day - if the student does not pass some of the other parts of the exam - is at the sole discretion of the teaching staff and is only granted in exceptional cases.
MODULAR EXAM STRUCTURE
The assessment consists of four preliminary language skills tests aimed at ascertaining language skills (see "Preliminary Language Skills Tests" below) and three theoretical content tests covering the three teaching units (see "Programme" above), followed by a final interview (see "Final Interview" below) with the course lecturers.
PRELIMINARY LANGUAGE SKILLS are taught during language practice sessions ("esercitazioni") whose attendance is compulsory. Only students who have attended 75% of classes for Language Skills A, B and C will be admitted to the exam. For Language Skills D, a monitored self-study module is envisaged (see below). Language skills will be tested as follows:
1. As far as written preliminary language skills are concerned (Skills A and C), attending students who have completed English 1 will have the possibility of taking interim tests (one at the end of the first semester, and another at the end of the second); the possibility of taking the test in the official written examinations always remains valid, provided students have attended 75% of overall classes.
2. As far as oral preliminary language skills are concerned (Skills B and D), attending students who have completed English 1 will be given the opportunity of ongoing assessment, during the relevant practice sessions for Skills B and during the feedback call on Teams for Skills D. Alternatively, students may take the respective tests in one of the official appeals - compulsorily, in this case, AFTER having passed the tests relating to the units that make up the official course. In this case as well students will only be able to sit the test if they have attended 75% of overall classes and completed the online training provided for Skills D.
Knowledge and skills related to the OFFICIAL THEORETICAL COURSE (Units 1, 2 and 3) will be tested as follows:
1. For students in good standing with previous year's examination, there will be interim tests at the end of each semester. The examination must then be concluded with an individual interview to be conducted with one of the course lecturers at one of the available ORAL examination days. Only those students who have completed ALL the tests relating to language skills AND the official course units will be admitted to the interview.
2. For students who have not taken the interim tests, the tests relating to the units must be taken during one of the official exam days (appelli orali), MANDATORILY in a single sitting. Should all or part of the examination not be passed, it is at the lecturer's discretion whether to keep the marks obtained for subsequent appeals.
EXAMINATION ORDER / ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
- To be eligible for the written exam (Skills A and C/ appello scritto), students must have completed the previous year's course, i.e. English 1.
- To be eligible for the oral exam (appello oralo, when you can sit theoretical Units and be attested in Skills B and D), students must have completed the written exam (either as interim tests or as an exam).
- To be eligible for the final interview (appello orale), students must have completed all other parts of the course (Units 1, 2, 3, Skills A, B, C and D).
For any questions, please, refer to the "FAQ" file and the course presentation on MyAriel.
PRELIMINARY LANGUAGE SKILLS TESTS
The preliminary language skills tests consist of four parts, called Skills A, Skills B, Skills C and Skills D.
1. Skills A: Grammar & Business vocabulary building (1 sem) lasts 30 minutes and involves working on several exercises aimed at testing your grammar (gap-filling and multiple choice). It is combined with the vocabulary building part, tested by selecting the meaning (multiple choice) of certain terms and phrases in the text. For this part, no dictionaries or other tools are allowed. Evaluation: 30/30.
2. Skills B: Transferrable skills & speaking (2 sem) aims at testing the correct use of business lexis in oral production through simulated dialogues and/or oral presentations on business topics. The test lasts ca. 20-30 minutes depending on the role-play which has been assigned to you. Evaluation: pass/ average / good/ excellent.
3. Skills C: Written linguistic mediation: translation of business texts into English (2 sem) lasts 60 minutes and includes a) writing a brief business email or social media communication and b) translating a business text from Italian into English. Students may use a monolingual English dictionary for this part of the test.
4. Skills D: Business mediation & sight translation (2 sem) is an asynchronous practice, which envisages the completion of a number of exercises on MyAriel, including a) recording one brief video of yourself to be shared with your Skills D lecturer and b) a personalized conference call on Teams with your Skills D lecturer, during which you will be asked to carry out a sight translation. To have access to the personalized call and feedback mentioned in b), students must have first completed the Skills D course on MyAriel. Evaluation: pass/ average / good/ excellent.
COURSE CONTENT ASSESSMENT
- Each unit (1, 2 and 3) includes a computer-based content test, which must be passed to sit the final oral examination (see "Examination order/eligibility criteria"). Each test lasts 30 minutes and contains 31 questions, for the total of 31 points, equivalent to 30 cum laude. The tests contain the questions with multiple choice, true/false and fill-in-the-blank answers.
- As written above (see "Modular exam structure"), these tests can be taken 1) during the official oral exam sessions, or 2) as unofficial end-of-course interim tests.
- If the student takes the course content tests as interim tests, they are typically held during the last lectures of the course, i.e., the Unit 1 and Unit 2 interim tests are held at the end of the first semester, while the Unit 3 interim test is held at the end of the second semester. In this case, the marks obtained for the interim tests of units have the validity of four examination sessions (see "validity of marks").
- If the student takes the course content tests during the official oral exam, he or she must take all three units during the same day and proceed to the final interview (see "Examination order/eligibility criteria").
FINAL ORAL EXAM
- Only students who have passed the three course content tests and the preliminary written and oral language tests (either as end-of-term tests or on the days the oral exams are administered) are eligible to take the final oral exam.
- The final exam consists of an interview with one of the course professors. Students will be given a short text on one or more topics of the official course ("the units") drawn by lot, supplemented by questions on other units. Students should be prepared to discuss the text critically and in detail and show that they have mastered the concepts covered in the course and can speak about them in a linguistically correct and academically appropriate manner.
EVALUATION
- The final mark is expressed in 30/30 and is calculated considering the grades obtained by the student in all the different tests.
- Preliminary written language skills tests (Skills A and C) are graded in 30/30. The partial result is published on MyAriel in the folder "TEST RESULTS".
- The preliminary oral language skills tests (Skills B and D) are evaluated by a verbal judgment (pass, average, good or excellent). The partial result is reported by the teaching staff delivering the language practice sessions and later published on MyAriel in the folder "TEST RESULTS".
- The tests related to the course content ("units") are graded in 30/30. Partial results are posted on MyAriel.
- Only the final mark is visible in the student's career.
IMPORTANT! The final mark is not an arithmetic mean of individual grades. Verbally expressed evaluation (pass, average, good or excellent) can add or detract points from an arithmetic mean. The course professors will give special consideration to the grades of the three theoretical units as well as the final interview. During the final interview, the course professor will assign the final mark, which may be reasonably increased or decreased in relation to the mean depending on the student's performance during the final interview and their general learning curve.
VALIDITY OF MARKS
- Grades for interim course content tests remain valid for four exam sessions, starting from the first official oral exam session when these can be used to complete the course. In other words, to count the validity of Unit 1 & 2 marks obtained in December 2024 and Unit 3 marks obtained in April/May 2025, you should start counting from June 2025.
- The interim preliminary language skills test grade for Skills A obtained at the end of the 1st semester remains valid only if the student completes the assessment of preliminary written language skills with Skills C during the second semester. In this case, the final grade for the written part of the exam remains valid for four exam sessions, starting from the last date (on which the grade for Skills C was obtained and the average for all written parts calculated). If the student does not complete the written part of Skills C after passing Skills A, the Skills A grade is cancelled. If the student fails one of the tests (Skills A or C), the grade for the other test is erased, too.
- The mark for the written examination, if administered during the formal written exam, remains valid for four examination sessions, including the one in which it was obtained. Please note that the formal (non-interim) examination is not divisible and all tests on the written preliminary language skills must be passed on the same day.
- The assessment for the oral preliminary language skills (B and D), if obtained as part of ongoing assessment, remain valid for four exam sessions starting from the date of the first official oral exam (appello orale), when you can use them.
- The marks for the unit tests obtained during the official oral examination are normally only valid on the day of the examination. The oral examination is not divisible, therefore all parts of the examination (excluding the written part; i.e. Units 1, 2, 3; Skills B and D and the final interview), if not previously taken as in-progress tests, must be completed on the same day. The possibility of extending the validity of successful unit tests obtained on the official exam day - if the student does not pass some of the other parts of the exam - is at the sole discretion of the teaching staff and is only granted in exceptional cases.
L-LIN/12 - LANGUAGE AND TRANSLATION - ENGLISH - University credits: 9
Lessons: 60 hours
Professors:
Catenaccio Paola, Paganoni Maria Cristina
L-Z
Responsible
Lesson period
year
Course syllabus
The syllabus consists of three theoretical parts (Unit 1, Unit 2 and Unit 3) and four parts of compulsory language practice sessions (Skills A, Skills B, Skills C and Skills D).
The theoretical parts are interconnected but will be tested separately. They jointly pursue the goal of the English course, and of the degree course in general, to provide students with specialized language skills suitable for use in professional contexts.
(For a description of the language practice sessions, see the section "Assessment methods and criteria" -> PRELIMINARY LANGUAGE SKILLS TESTS)
The theoretical course is structured as follows:
Unit 1
Morphology and Syntax: from words to phrases (Term 1)
This unit lays the foundation for understanding the structure and function of language, essential for effective communication in professional contexts. Students will explore the intricacies of morphology (the study of word formation) and syntax (the arrangement of words and phrases). Key topics include:
- formal and functional categories: understanding parts of speech and their roles.
- the principle of embedding: examining how clauses are nested within sentences.
- analysis and description of clause constituents: identifying subjects, predicates, objects, and more.
- clause types: differentiating between declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory clauses.
- verbs and verb complementation: studying verb types and their required complements.
- word order: exploring sentence structure variations.
- aspects of contrastive syntax: comparing English syntax with other languages.
Practical applications include language consolidation exercises and sample translations to enhance understanding and proficiency.
Unit 2
Business communication: linguistic and cultural mediation perspectives (Term 1)
This unit focuses on the vital role of linguistic and cultural mediation in business communication, with an emphasis on genres and communicative contexts, conflict management, cross-cultural communication, negotiation and team dynamics. Students will gain insights into the nuances of language use in diverse business contexts.
Key topics include:
- Genres and media in business communication
- Intercultural business communication: Understanding how context influences meaning and communication strategies across different national & business cultures.
- Content marketing and advertising across cultures: telling the story of the company in an engaging way.
- Conflict management: Exploring linguistic techniques for resolving disputes and fostering cooperation.
- Negotiation strategies: Developing language skills for effective negotiation, paying attention to the use of persuasive rhetoric.
- Introduction to linguistic mediation with a focus on written mediation: Techniques for bridging linguistic and cultural divides to ensure clear and effective communication in business settings.
- Practical applications: Role-playing exercises and case studies to apply linguistic theories to real-world business scenarios.
Unit 3
Internationalization, localization and mediation (Term 2)
This unit delves into the global aspects of business communication, focusing on adapting content for diverse audiences. Students will explore:
- Internationalization: Preparing content for a global audience without losing its core message: marketing strategies, e-commerce & media discourse.
- Localization: Customizing language and content to suit specific cultural contexts: gaming, websites & audiovisual context.
- Mediation across cultures: Bridging communication gaps between different cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
- Translation & transcreation techniques seminar: a workshop with a professional transcreator combining both a theoretical and a practical output.
- Case Studies: Analysing real-world examples of successful and unsuccessful international business communication. The unit integrates theory with practice, involving projects where students create and adapt business content for international markets.
The theoretical parts are interconnected but will be tested separately. They jointly pursue the goal of the English course, and of the degree course in general, to provide students with specialized language skills suitable for use in professional contexts.
(For a description of the language practice sessions, see the section "Assessment methods and criteria" -> PRELIMINARY LANGUAGE SKILLS TESTS)
The theoretical course is structured as follows:
Unit 1
Morphology and Syntax: from words to phrases (Term 1)
This unit lays the foundation for understanding the structure and function of language, essential for effective communication in professional contexts. Students will explore the intricacies of morphology (the study of word formation) and syntax (the arrangement of words and phrases). Key topics include:
- formal and functional categories: understanding parts of speech and their roles.
- the principle of embedding: examining how clauses are nested within sentences.
- analysis and description of clause constituents: identifying subjects, predicates, objects, and more.
- clause types: differentiating between declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory clauses.
- verbs and verb complementation: studying verb types and their required complements.
- word order: exploring sentence structure variations.
- aspects of contrastive syntax: comparing English syntax with other languages.
Practical applications include language consolidation exercises and sample translations to enhance understanding and proficiency.
Unit 2
Business communication: linguistic and cultural mediation perspectives (Term 1)
This unit focuses on the vital role of linguistic and cultural mediation in business communication, with an emphasis on genres and communicative contexts, conflict management, cross-cultural communication, negotiation and team dynamics. Students will gain insights into the nuances of language use in diverse business contexts.
Key topics include:
- Genres and media in business communication
- Intercultural business communication: Understanding how context influences meaning and communication strategies across different national & business cultures.
- Content marketing and advertising across cultures: telling the story of the company in an engaging way.
- Conflict management: Exploring linguistic techniques for resolving disputes and fostering cooperation.
- Negotiation strategies: Developing language skills for effective negotiation, paying attention to the use of persuasive rhetoric.
- Introduction to linguistic mediation with a focus on written mediation: Techniques for bridging linguistic and cultural divides to ensure clear and effective communication in business settings.
- Practical applications: Role-playing exercises and case studies to apply linguistic theories to real-world business scenarios.
Unit 3
Internationalization, localization and mediation (Term 2)
This unit delves into the global aspects of business communication, focusing on adapting content for diverse audiences. Students will explore:
- Internationalization: Preparing content for a global audience without losing its core message: marketing strategies, e-commerce & media discourse.
- Localization: Customizing language and content to suit specific cultural contexts: gaming, websites & audiovisual context.
- Mediation across cultures: Bridging communication gaps between different cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
- Translation & transcreation techniques seminar: a workshop with a professional transcreator combining both a theoretical and a practical output.
- Case Studies: Analysing real-world examples of successful and unsuccessful international business communication. The unit integrates theory with practice, involving projects where students create and adapt business content for international markets.
Prerequisites for admission
The course builds on the competences developed in the first-year English language course (B2 level of the CEFR). A working knowledge of Italian is also required. The exit level is set at B2+ of the CEFR.
Teaching methods
The theoretical part of the course (corresponding to the contents of Units 1, 2, 3) is delivered through lectures, while language skills will be reinforced and partially tested during language practice sessions carried out in small groups. In addition, a part of the practice sessions (Skills D) is delivered in an asynchronous mode: i.e. the students are required to complete a set of exercises and tasks using MyAriel platform with final feedback by the language expert delivered through a Teams call.
NB: specific instructions for registering for the language practice sessions will be given on the course's MyAriel site.
NB: specific instructions for registering for the language practice sessions will be given on the course's MyAriel site.
Teaching Resources
Unit 1
Ballard, Kim (2022, fourth edition). The Frameworks of English: Introducing Language Structures. London, Bloomsbury. ISBN 9781352013078. Chapters 5 & 6.
Unit 2
Rathmayr, R. (2017) "Intercultural business communication: A linguistic approach" Chapter 11 in Mautner, G., Rainer, F., & Ross, C. (Eds.). Handbook of business communication : linguistic approaches (1st ed.). De Gruyter Mouton, pp. 221 - 248.
S. Lesk, E. Lavric and M. Stegu (2017) "Multilingualism in business: Language policies and practices" Chapter 13 in in Mautner, G., Rainer, F., & Ross, C. (Eds.). Handbook of business communication : linguistic approaches (1st ed.). De Gruyter Mouton, pp. 269-318.
Unit 3
Torresi, I. (2021). Globalization, advertising and promotional translation. In The Routledge Handbook of Translation and Globalization (1st ed., pp. 351-362). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003121848-29
Wang, J., & Li, M. (2024). "Brand transcreation as multimodal configuration: The (re)making of text, context, and meaning in brand semiotics". Babel (Frankfurt), 70(1-2), 89-. https://doi.org/10.1075/babel.00370.wan
Units 1, 2, 3: handouts and powerpoint files used in class.
Materials for language practice groups
-Business Advantage, Student's book, Upper intermediate. Michael Handford, Martin Lisboa, Almut Koester, Angela Pitt. Cambridge University Press.
Ballard, Kim (2022, fourth edition). The Frameworks of English: Introducing Language Structures. London, Bloomsbury. ISBN 9781352013078. Chapters 5 & 6.
Unit 2
Rathmayr, R. (2017) "Intercultural business communication: A linguistic approach" Chapter 11 in Mautner, G., Rainer, F., & Ross, C. (Eds.). Handbook of business communication : linguistic approaches (1st ed.). De Gruyter Mouton, pp. 221 - 248.
S. Lesk, E. Lavric and M. Stegu (2017) "Multilingualism in business: Language policies and practices" Chapter 13 in in Mautner, G., Rainer, F., & Ross, C. (Eds.). Handbook of business communication : linguistic approaches (1st ed.). De Gruyter Mouton, pp. 269-318.
Unit 3
Torresi, I. (2021). Globalization, advertising and promotional translation. In The Routledge Handbook of Translation and Globalization (1st ed., pp. 351-362). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003121848-29
Wang, J., & Li, M. (2024). "Brand transcreation as multimodal configuration: The (re)making of text, context, and meaning in brand semiotics". Babel (Frankfurt), 70(1-2), 89-. https://doi.org/10.1075/babel.00370.wan
Units 1, 2, 3: handouts and powerpoint files used in class.
Materials for language practice groups
-Business Advantage, Student's book, Upper intermediate. Michael Handford, Martin Lisboa, Almut Koester, Angela Pitt. Cambridge University Press.
Assessment methods and Criteria
Assessment is exam-based. The course has a modular structure and there is a test for each element of the course.
MODULAR EXAM STRUCTURE
The assessment consists of four preliminary language skills tests aimed at ascertaining language skills (see "Preliminary Language Skills Tests" below) and three theoretical content tests covering the three teaching units (see "Programme" above), followed by a final interview (see "Final Interview" below) with the course lecturers.
PRELIMINARY LANGUAGE SKILLS are taught during language practice sessions ("esercitazioni") whose attendance is compulsory. Only students who have attended 75% of classes for Language Skills A, B and C will be admitted to the exam. For Language Skills D, a monitored self-study module is envisaged (see below). Language skills will be tested as follows:
1. As far as written preliminary language skills are concerned (Skills A and C), attending students who have completed English 1 will have the possibility of taking interim tests (one at the end of the first semester, and another at the end of the second); the possibility of taking the test in the official written examinations always remains valid, provided students have attended 75% of overall classes.
2. As far as oral preliminary language skills are concerned (Skills B and D), attending students who have completed English 1 will be given the opportunity of ongoing assessment, during the relevant practice sessions for Skills B and during the feedback call on Teams for Skills D. Alternatively, students may take the respective tests in one of the official appeals - compulsorily, in this case, AFTER having passed the tests relating to the units that make up the official course. In this case as well students will only be able to sit the test if they have attended 75% of overall classes and completed the online training provided for Skills D.
Knowledge and skills related to the OFFICIAL THEORETICAL COURSE (Units 1, 2 and 3) will be tested as follows:
1. For students in good standing with previous year's examination, there will be interim tests at the end of each semester. The examination must then be concluded with an individual interview to be conducted with one of the course lecturers at one of the available ORAL examination days. Only those students who have completed ALL the tests relating to language skills AND the official course units will be admitted to the interview.
2. For students who have not taken the interim tests, the tests relating to the units must be taken during one of the official exam days (appelli orali), MANDATORILY in a single sitting. Should all or part of the examination not be passed, it is at the lecturer's discretion whether to keep the marks obtained for subsequent appeals.
EXAMINATION ORDER / ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
- To be eligible for the written exam (Skills A and C/ appello scritto), students must have completed the previous year's course, i.e. English 1.
- To be eligible for the oral exam (appello oralo, when you can sit theoretical Units and be attested in Skills B and D), students must have completed the written exam (either as interim tests or as an exam).
- To be eligible for the final interview (appello orale), students must have completed all other parts of the course (Units 1, 2, 3, Skills A, B, C and D).
For any questions, please, refer to the "FAQ" file and the course presentation on MyAriel.
PRELIMINARY LANGUAGE SKILLS TESTS
The preliminary language skills tests consist of four parts, called Skills A, Skills B, Skills C and Skills D.
1. Skills A: Grammar & Business vocabulary building (1 sem) lasts 30 minutes and involves working on several exercises aimed at testing your grammar (gap-filling and multiple choice). It is combined with the vocabulary building part, tested by selecting the meaning (multiple choice) of certain terms and phrases in the text. For this part, no dictionaries or other tools are allowed. Evaluation: 30/30.
2. Skills B: Transferrable skills & speaking (2 sem) aims at testing the correct use of business lexis in oral production through simulated dialogues and/or oral presentations on business topics. The test lasts ca. 20-30 minutes depending on the role-play which has been assigned to you. Evaluation: pass/ average / good/ excellent.
3. Skills C: Written linguistic mediation: translation of business texts into English (2 sem) lasts 60 minutes and includes a) writing a brief business email or social media communication and b) translating a business text from Italian into English. Students may use a monolingual English dictionary for this part of the test.
4. Skills D: Business mediation & sight translation (2 sem) is an asynchronous practice, which envisages the completion of a number of exercises on MyAriel, including a) recording one brief video of yourself to be shared with your Skills D lecturer and b) a personalized conference call on Teams with your Skills D lecturer, during which you will be asked to carry out a sight translation. To have access to the personalized call and feedback mentioned in b), students must have first completed the Skills D course on MyAriel. Evaluation: pass/ average / good/ excellent.
COURSE CONTENT ASSESSMENT
- Each unit (1, 2 and 3) includes a computer-based content test, which must be passed to sit the final oral examination (see "Examination order/eligibility criteria"). Each test lasts 30 minutes and contains 31 questions, for the total of 31 points, equivalent to 30 cum laude. The tests contain the questions with multiple choice, true/false and fill-in-the-blank answers.
- As written above (see "Modular exam structure"), these tests can be taken 1) during the official oral exam sessions, or 2) as unofficial end-of-course interim tests.
- If the student takes the course content tests as interim tests, they are typically held during the last lectures of the course, i.e., the Unit 1 and Unit 2 interim tests are held at the end of the first semester, while the Unit 3 interim test is held at the end of the second semester. In this case, the marks obtained for the interim tests of units have the validity of four examination sessions (see "validity of marks").
- If the student takes the course content tests during the official oral exam, he or she must take all three units during the same day and proceed to the final interview (see "Examination order/eligibility criteria").
FINAL ORAL EXAM
- Only students who have passed the three course content tests and the preliminary written and oral language tests (either as end-of-term tests or on the days the oral exams are administered) are eligible to take the final oral exam.
- The final exam consists of an interview with one of the course professors. Students will be given a short text on one or more topics of the official course ("the units") drawn by lot, supplemented by questions on other units. Students should be prepared to discuss the text critically and in detail and show that they have mastered the concepts covered in the course and can speak about them in a linguistically correct and academically appropriate manner.
EVALUATION
- The final mark is expressed in 30/30 and is calculated considering the grades obtained by the student in all the different tests.
- Preliminary written language skills tests (Skills A and C) are graded in 30/30. The partial result is published on MyAriel in the folder "TEST RESULTS".
- The preliminary oral language skills tests (Skills B and D) are evaluated by a verbal judgment (pass, average, good or excellent). The partial result is reported by the teaching staff delivering the language practice sessions and later published on MyAriel in the folder "TEST RESULTS".
- The tests related to the course content ("units") are graded in 30/30. Partial results are posted on MyAriel.
- Only the final mark is visible in the student's career.
IMPORTANT! The final mark is not an arithmetic mean of individual grades. Verbally expressed evaluation (pass, average, good or excellent) can add or detract points from an arithmetic mean. The course professors will give special consideration to the grades of the three theoretical units as well as the final interview. During the final interview, the course professor will assign the final mark, which may be reasonably increased or decreased in relation to the mean depending on the student's performance during the final interview and their general learning curve.
VALIDITY OF MARKS
- Grades for interim course content tests remain valid for four exam sessions, starting from the first official oral exam session when these can be used to complete the course. In other words, to count the validity of Unit 1 & 2 marks obtained in December 2024 and Unit 3 marks obtained in April/May 2025, you should start counting from June 2025.
- The interim preliminary language skills test grade for Skills A obtained at the end of the 1st semester remains valid only if the student completes the assessment of preliminary written language skills with Skills C during the second semester. In this case, the final grade for the written part of the exam remains valid for four exam sessions, starting from the last date (on which the grade for Skills C was obtained and the average for all written parts calculated). If the student does not complete the written part of Skills C after passing Skills A, the Skills A grade is cancelled. If the student fails one of the tests (Skills A or C), the grade for the other test is erased, too.
- The mark for the written examination, if administered during the formal written exam, remains valid for four examination sessions, including the one in which it was obtained. Please note that the formal (non-interim) examination is not divisible and all tests on the written preliminary language skills must be passed on the same day.
- The assessment for the oral preliminary language skills (B and D), if obtained as part of ongoing assessment, remain valid for four exam sessions starting from the date of the first official oral exam (appello orale), when you can use them.
- The marks for the unit tests obtained during the official oral examination are normally only valid on the day of the examination. The oral examination is not divisible, therefore all parts of the examination (excluding the written part; i.e. Units 1, 2, 3; Skills B and D and the final interview), if not previously taken as in-progress tests, must be completed on the same day. The possibility of extending the validity of successful unit tests obtained on the official exam day - if the student does not pass some of the other parts of the exam - is at the sole discretion of the teaching staff and is only granted in exceptional cases.
MODULAR EXAM STRUCTURE
The assessment consists of four preliminary language skills tests aimed at ascertaining language skills (see "Preliminary Language Skills Tests" below) and three theoretical content tests covering the three teaching units (see "Programme" above), followed by a final interview (see "Final Interview" below) with the course lecturers.
PRELIMINARY LANGUAGE SKILLS are taught during language practice sessions ("esercitazioni") whose attendance is compulsory. Only students who have attended 75% of classes for Language Skills A, B and C will be admitted to the exam. For Language Skills D, a monitored self-study module is envisaged (see below). Language skills will be tested as follows:
1. As far as written preliminary language skills are concerned (Skills A and C), attending students who have completed English 1 will have the possibility of taking interim tests (one at the end of the first semester, and another at the end of the second); the possibility of taking the test in the official written examinations always remains valid, provided students have attended 75% of overall classes.
2. As far as oral preliminary language skills are concerned (Skills B and D), attending students who have completed English 1 will be given the opportunity of ongoing assessment, during the relevant practice sessions for Skills B and during the feedback call on Teams for Skills D. Alternatively, students may take the respective tests in one of the official appeals - compulsorily, in this case, AFTER having passed the tests relating to the units that make up the official course. In this case as well students will only be able to sit the test if they have attended 75% of overall classes and completed the online training provided for Skills D.
Knowledge and skills related to the OFFICIAL THEORETICAL COURSE (Units 1, 2 and 3) will be tested as follows:
1. For students in good standing with previous year's examination, there will be interim tests at the end of each semester. The examination must then be concluded with an individual interview to be conducted with one of the course lecturers at one of the available ORAL examination days. Only those students who have completed ALL the tests relating to language skills AND the official course units will be admitted to the interview.
2. For students who have not taken the interim tests, the tests relating to the units must be taken during one of the official exam days (appelli orali), MANDATORILY in a single sitting. Should all or part of the examination not be passed, it is at the lecturer's discretion whether to keep the marks obtained for subsequent appeals.
EXAMINATION ORDER / ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
- To be eligible for the written exam (Skills A and C/ appello scritto), students must have completed the previous year's course, i.e. English 1.
- To be eligible for the oral exam (appello oralo, when you can sit theoretical Units and be attested in Skills B and D), students must have completed the written exam (either as interim tests or as an exam).
- To be eligible for the final interview (appello orale), students must have completed all other parts of the course (Units 1, 2, 3, Skills A, B, C and D).
For any questions, please, refer to the "FAQ" file and the course presentation on MyAriel.
PRELIMINARY LANGUAGE SKILLS TESTS
The preliminary language skills tests consist of four parts, called Skills A, Skills B, Skills C and Skills D.
1. Skills A: Grammar & Business vocabulary building (1 sem) lasts 30 minutes and involves working on several exercises aimed at testing your grammar (gap-filling and multiple choice). It is combined with the vocabulary building part, tested by selecting the meaning (multiple choice) of certain terms and phrases in the text. For this part, no dictionaries or other tools are allowed. Evaluation: 30/30.
2. Skills B: Transferrable skills & speaking (2 sem) aims at testing the correct use of business lexis in oral production through simulated dialogues and/or oral presentations on business topics. The test lasts ca. 20-30 minutes depending on the role-play which has been assigned to you. Evaluation: pass/ average / good/ excellent.
3. Skills C: Written linguistic mediation: translation of business texts into English (2 sem) lasts 60 minutes and includes a) writing a brief business email or social media communication and b) translating a business text from Italian into English. Students may use a monolingual English dictionary for this part of the test.
4. Skills D: Business mediation & sight translation (2 sem) is an asynchronous practice, which envisages the completion of a number of exercises on MyAriel, including a) recording one brief video of yourself to be shared with your Skills D lecturer and b) a personalized conference call on Teams with your Skills D lecturer, during which you will be asked to carry out a sight translation. To have access to the personalized call and feedback mentioned in b), students must have first completed the Skills D course on MyAriel. Evaluation: pass/ average / good/ excellent.
COURSE CONTENT ASSESSMENT
- Each unit (1, 2 and 3) includes a computer-based content test, which must be passed to sit the final oral examination (see "Examination order/eligibility criteria"). Each test lasts 30 minutes and contains 31 questions, for the total of 31 points, equivalent to 30 cum laude. The tests contain the questions with multiple choice, true/false and fill-in-the-blank answers.
- As written above (see "Modular exam structure"), these tests can be taken 1) during the official oral exam sessions, or 2) as unofficial end-of-course interim tests.
- If the student takes the course content tests as interim tests, they are typically held during the last lectures of the course, i.e., the Unit 1 and Unit 2 interim tests are held at the end of the first semester, while the Unit 3 interim test is held at the end of the second semester. In this case, the marks obtained for the interim tests of units have the validity of four examination sessions (see "validity of marks").
- If the student takes the course content tests during the official oral exam, he or she must take all three units during the same day and proceed to the final interview (see "Examination order/eligibility criteria").
FINAL ORAL EXAM
- Only students who have passed the three course content tests and the preliminary written and oral language tests (either as end-of-term tests or on the days the oral exams are administered) are eligible to take the final oral exam.
- The final exam consists of an interview with one of the course professors. Students will be given a short text on one or more topics of the official course ("the units") drawn by lot, supplemented by questions on other units. Students should be prepared to discuss the text critically and in detail and show that they have mastered the concepts covered in the course and can speak about them in a linguistically correct and academically appropriate manner.
EVALUATION
- The final mark is expressed in 30/30 and is calculated considering the grades obtained by the student in all the different tests.
- Preliminary written language skills tests (Skills A and C) are graded in 30/30. The partial result is published on MyAriel in the folder "TEST RESULTS".
- The preliminary oral language skills tests (Skills B and D) are evaluated by a verbal judgment (pass, average, good or excellent). The partial result is reported by the teaching staff delivering the language practice sessions and later published on MyAriel in the folder "TEST RESULTS".
- The tests related to the course content ("units") are graded in 30/30. Partial results are posted on MyAriel.
- Only the final mark is visible in the student's career.
IMPORTANT! The final mark is not an arithmetic mean of individual grades. Verbally expressed evaluation (pass, average, good or excellent) can add or detract points from an arithmetic mean. The course professors will give special consideration to the grades of the three theoretical units as well as the final interview. During the final interview, the course professor will assign the final mark, which may be reasonably increased or decreased in relation to the mean depending on the student's performance during the final interview and their general learning curve.
VALIDITY OF MARKS
- Grades for interim course content tests remain valid for four exam sessions, starting from the first official oral exam session when these can be used to complete the course. In other words, to count the validity of Unit 1 & 2 marks obtained in December 2024 and Unit 3 marks obtained in April/May 2025, you should start counting from June 2025.
- The interim preliminary language skills test grade for Skills A obtained at the end of the 1st semester remains valid only if the student completes the assessment of preliminary written language skills with Skills C during the second semester. In this case, the final grade for the written part of the exam remains valid for four exam sessions, starting from the last date (on which the grade for Skills C was obtained and the average for all written parts calculated). If the student does not complete the written part of Skills C after passing Skills A, the Skills A grade is cancelled. If the student fails one of the tests (Skills A or C), the grade for the other test is erased, too.
- The mark for the written examination, if administered during the formal written exam, remains valid for four examination sessions, including the one in which it was obtained. Please note that the formal (non-interim) examination is not divisible and all tests on the written preliminary language skills must be passed on the same day.
- The assessment for the oral preliminary language skills (B and D), if obtained as part of ongoing assessment, remain valid for four exam sessions starting from the date of the first official oral exam (appello orale), when you can use them.
- The marks for the unit tests obtained during the official oral examination are normally only valid on the day of the examination. The oral examination is not divisible, therefore all parts of the examination (excluding the written part; i.e. Units 1, 2, 3; Skills B and D and the final interview), if not previously taken as in-progress tests, must be completed on the same day. The possibility of extending the validity of successful unit tests obtained on the official exam day - if the student does not pass some of the other parts of the exam - is at the sole discretion of the teaching staff and is only granted in exceptional cases.
L-LIN/12 - LANGUAGE AND TRANSLATION - ENGLISH - University credits: 9
Lessons: 60 hours
Professors:
Nikitina Jekaterina, Paganoni Maria Cristina
Educational website(s)
Professor(s)
Reception:
Next office hours on Tuesday 27/11 12:30-15:30. To book an appointment: https://forms.office.com/e/fDgQEh29f7
Personal meeting space on Teams / room 4013
Reception:
Wednesday afternoons, from h. 15:00, by email appointment.
Room 4013/Teams