History of Italian Language Ma
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
The course aims to prepare students at an advanced level on the linguistic history of Italian, investigating the changing relationship between center and periphery, between Tuscan and non-Tuscan Italy, over time, and highlighting particularly representative moments and authors. The subject will be developed both from a theoretical and methodological point of view, as well as from a practical point of view, through the reading and commentary of author's texts.
Expected learning outcomes
Knowledge: as for the expected learning outcomes in terms of knowledge, at the end of the course the student should know the historical and linguistic framework within which authors and texts examined are placed; should be able to use correctly tools and methods of historical linguistics; and should be able to reflect on the different theoretical standings of authors in terms of their origin and of their outcome.
Skills: with regard to skills acquisition, at the end of the course the student should be able to analyze any text in its linguistic and stylistic aspects, putting it in relation with the linguistic ideas of its author and with the cultural milieu within which it was produced and validated.
Skills: with regard to skills acquisition, at the end of the course the student should be able to analyze any text in its linguistic and stylistic aspects, putting it in relation with the linguistic ideas of its author and with the cultural milieu within which it was produced and validated.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
The course offers an advanced knowledge of the events of the linguistic history of Italian, investigating the relationship between center and periphery, between Tuscan and non-Tuscan Italy, highlighting moments and authors that are particularly representative. In addition, the course is designed to provide students with the ability to recognise texts' typology and to describe critically their linguistic features, using correctly the tools and methods of the discipline. Through the classes, students will also learn about the development of language discussions and will be able to relate them to the cultural and social history of Italy.
More specifically, the first part deals with the linguistic choices of Alessandro Manzoni, evaluating them in relation to the theoretical positions of the writer; the second one takes into consideration some grammars of the XIX Century, examining them in the light of contemporary discussions on linguistic norm.
More specifically, the first part deals with the linguistic choices of Alessandro Manzoni, evaluating them in relation to the theoretical positions of the writer; the second one takes into consideration some grammars of the XIX Century, examining them in the light of contemporary discussions on linguistic norm.
Prerequisites for admission
There are no prerequisites for admission. Nonetheless, attendance will greatly benefit from knowledge about the history of Italian language, the historical grammar of Italian and the phonetic, morphologic and syntactic structure of Italian typically provided by a course in Italian Linguistics. Attendance will also benefit from an elementary knowledge (essentially: of the morphology) of Latin.
Teaching methods
Teaching consists of face-to-face lectures that include analysis of case studies and extensive reading and commentary on texts; the teacher may propose that students work on writing short papers, on agreed-upon topics, that generally require linguistic analysis of texts.
Class attendance is strongly recommended.
Preparation support materials, in the form of presentations and texts in pdf format, are made available through the Ariel platform.
Class attendance is strongly recommended.
Preparation support materials, in the form of presentations and texts in pdf format, are made available through the Ariel platform.
Teaching Resources
Attending students
Part A:
In this part of the course we will consider the linguistic choices of Alessandro Manzoni, evaluating them in relation to the theoretical positions of the writer.
Materials and documents will be made available through the ARIEL platform.
Students will also read:
- Giuseppe Polimeni, Il filo della voce. Indagini sul pensiero linguistico di Manzoni e sui Promessi sposi, Milano, FrancoAngeli, 2020.
Part B:
In this part of the course we will read some grammars of the XIX Century, examining them in the light of contemporary discussions on linguistic norm.
Materials and documents will be made available through the ARIEL platform.
Students will also read:
- Maria Catricalà, L'italiano tra grammaticalità e testualizzazione. Il dibattito linguistico-pedagogico del primo sessantennio postunitario, Firenze, Accademia della Crusca, 1995.
- Luca Serianni, Storia dell'italiano nell'Ottocento, Bologna, il Mulino, 2013.
Part C:
In this part of the course we will read other grammars of the XIX Century, examining them in the light of contemporary discussions on linguistic norm.
Materials and documents will be made available through the ARIEL platform.
Students will also read:
Massimo Prada, Le avventure di una lingua: il viaggio alla scoperta dell'italiano nella Grammatica di Giannettino, «Studi di Grammatica italiana», XXXI-XXXII (2012-13), pagg. 245-353.
Massimo Prada, Un momento del razionalismo linguistico in Italia: la grammatica per non udenti di Severino Fabriani (1845, 1875), «Quaderni di Italiano Linguadue», 1 (2018), pp. 257-297.
Students who have to take the exam for 6 ECTS will attend the lessons (and then study the materials) relating to parts A and B.
Non attending students
Part A:
Materials and documents will be made available through the ARIEL platform.
Students will also read:
- Giuseppe Polimeni, Il filo della voce. Indagini sul pensiero linguistico di Manzoni e sui Promessi sposi, Milano, FrancoAngeli, 2020.
- Giovanni Nencioni, La lingua di Manzoni. Avviamento alle prose manzoniane, Bologna, il Mulino, 1993: La lingua di Manzoni. Avviamento alle prose manzoniane (sns.it)
Part B:
Materials and documents will be made available through the ARIEL platform.
Students will also read:
- Maria Catricalà, L'italiano tra grammaticalità e testualizzazione. Il dibattito linguistico-pedagogico del primo sessantennio postunitario, Firenze, Accademia della Crusca, 1995.
- Luca Serianni, Storia dell'italiano nell'Ottocento, Bologna, il Mulino, 2013.
Part C:
Materials and documents will be made available through the ARIEL platform.
Students will also read:
Massimo Prada, Le avventure di una lingua: il viaggio alla scoperta dell'italiano nella Grammatica di Giannettino, «Studi di Grammatica italiana», XXXI-XXXII (2012-13), pagg. 245-353.
Massimo Prada, Un momento del razionalismo linguistico in Italia: la grammatica per non udenti di Severino Fabriani (1845, 1875), «Quaderni di Italiano Linguadue», 1
Roberta Cella, Grammatica per la scuola, in Storia dell'italiano scritto. iv. Grammatiche, a cura di Giuseppe Antonelli, Matteo Motolese e Lorenzo Tomasin, Roma, Carocci, 2018, pp. 97-140(2018), pp. 257-297.
Students who have to take the exam for 6 ECTS will study the materials relating to parts A and B.
Part A:
In this part of the course we will consider the linguistic choices of Alessandro Manzoni, evaluating them in relation to the theoretical positions of the writer.
Materials and documents will be made available through the ARIEL platform.
Students will also read:
- Giuseppe Polimeni, Il filo della voce. Indagini sul pensiero linguistico di Manzoni e sui Promessi sposi, Milano, FrancoAngeli, 2020.
Part B:
In this part of the course we will read some grammars of the XIX Century, examining them in the light of contemporary discussions on linguistic norm.
Materials and documents will be made available through the ARIEL platform.
Students will also read:
- Maria Catricalà, L'italiano tra grammaticalità e testualizzazione. Il dibattito linguistico-pedagogico del primo sessantennio postunitario, Firenze, Accademia della Crusca, 1995.
- Luca Serianni, Storia dell'italiano nell'Ottocento, Bologna, il Mulino, 2013.
Part C:
In this part of the course we will read other grammars of the XIX Century, examining them in the light of contemporary discussions on linguistic norm.
Materials and documents will be made available through the ARIEL platform.
Students will also read:
Massimo Prada, Le avventure di una lingua: il viaggio alla scoperta dell'italiano nella Grammatica di Giannettino, «Studi di Grammatica italiana», XXXI-XXXII (2012-13), pagg. 245-353.
Massimo Prada, Un momento del razionalismo linguistico in Italia: la grammatica per non udenti di Severino Fabriani (1845, 1875), «Quaderni di Italiano Linguadue», 1 (2018), pp. 257-297.
Students who have to take the exam for 6 ECTS will attend the lessons (and then study the materials) relating to parts A and B.
Non attending students
Part A:
Materials and documents will be made available through the ARIEL platform.
Students will also read:
- Giuseppe Polimeni, Il filo della voce. Indagini sul pensiero linguistico di Manzoni e sui Promessi sposi, Milano, FrancoAngeli, 2020.
- Giovanni Nencioni, La lingua di Manzoni. Avviamento alle prose manzoniane, Bologna, il Mulino, 1993: La lingua di Manzoni. Avviamento alle prose manzoniane (sns.it)
Part B:
Materials and documents will be made available through the ARIEL platform.
Students will also read:
- Maria Catricalà, L'italiano tra grammaticalità e testualizzazione. Il dibattito linguistico-pedagogico del primo sessantennio postunitario, Firenze, Accademia della Crusca, 1995.
- Luca Serianni, Storia dell'italiano nell'Ottocento, Bologna, il Mulino, 2013.
Part C:
Materials and documents will be made available through the ARIEL platform.
Students will also read:
Massimo Prada, Le avventure di una lingua: il viaggio alla scoperta dell'italiano nella Grammatica di Giannettino, «Studi di Grammatica italiana», XXXI-XXXII (2012-13), pagg. 245-353.
Massimo Prada, Un momento del razionalismo linguistico in Italia: la grammatica per non udenti di Severino Fabriani (1845, 1875), «Quaderni di Italiano Linguadue», 1
Roberta Cella, Grammatica per la scuola, in Storia dell'italiano scritto. iv. Grammatiche, a cura di Giuseppe Antonelli, Matteo Motolese e Lorenzo Tomasin, Roma, Carocci, 2018, pp. 97-140(2018), pp. 257-297.
Students who have to take the exam for 6 ECTS will study the materials relating to parts A and B.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The achievement of the learning objectives is ascertained with an oral test. In addition to the correctness of the contents, their relevance, the possession of the disciplinary lexicon and the ability to grasp linguistically salient phenomena within relevant texts are positively evaluated.
Papers produced during the year cooperate in determining the evaluation.
Marks are out of 30; minimum passing grade 18.
International or Erasmus incoming students are kindly requested to contact the teacher of the course. Students with disabilities should contact the teacher of the course, in order to discuss alternative examination methods, in agreement with the competent Office.
Papers produced during the year cooperate in determining the evaluation.
Marks are out of 30; minimum passing grade 18.
International or Erasmus incoming students are kindly requested to contact the teacher of the course. Students with disabilities should contact the teacher of the course, in order to discuss alternative examination methods, in agreement with the competent Office.
L-FIL-LET/12 - ITALIAN LINGUISTICS - University credits: 9
Lessons: 60 hours
Professors:
Polimeni Giuseppe, Prada Massimo
Professor(s)
Reception:
Thursday, 13.30 - 16.30
The teacher sees students through Skype; the appointment is made by email.