German 2
A.Y. 2025/2026
Learning objectives
The theoretical lessons propose the deepening of the German grammar, and in particular of the syntax (constituents, complements, cases, fields, valency, and verbal aspect). The practical lessons allow the widening of the abilities of reception, production, interaction and mediation learned in the first year. The course, combined with the practical lessons, aims at achieving linguistic skills corresponding to the B1 level of CEFR.
Expected learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding: Strenghtening of the basis and improvement of the grammatical and lexical proficiency. Applying knowledge and understanding: the aim is to reach a good competence of structures and lexicon corrisponding to B1-level, which allows written and oral comprehension and text production about familiar matters and the expression of personal opinions.
Lesson period: year
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
year
Course syllabus
The course consists of three teaching units: A (20 hours in the first semester) and B-C (40 hours in the second semester).
A (20 ore, three cfu): Syntax (Prof. Flinz)
B (20 ore, three cfu): Grammatical and textual structures, text analysis (Prof. Nicoli)
C (20 ore, three cfu): Phraseology (Prof. Nicoli)
The course provides 9 ECTS. It is not possible to acquire only 6 ECTS.
In A, the syntactic structures of Standard German and its variants will be dealt with from a theoretical point of view. In particular, the following topics will be examined: the definition of syntax, the definition of sentence, the analysis of the sentence (traditional analysis, the dependency/value grammar model, the generative grammar model), the constituent and tests to identify it, word classes and syntagma types, word order at sentence level, the semantic functions of the simple sentence, the syntactic functions of the simple sentence, the main sentence and the secondary sentence, secondary sentences). Contrastive reflections and practical applications will complement the description of syntactic phenomena.
In B, you will explore the main concepts of text linguistics and analyse passages from different text genres to recognize their typical structures. The following topics will be explored: the textual genre, the non-verbal characteristics of a text, recognizable words in a text, the verbal bracket and syntactic fields, the nominal bracket, the oral bracket and the subject of the sentence, secondary sentences, other constituents.
In C, both theoretical and practical aspects of German phraseology will be explored in depth, also with contrastive considerations. In particular, the following topics will be dealt with: definition of phraseologism, terms and classifications, fixed expressions, routine formulas, commonplaces, support verb constructs, twin forms, comparative phraseologisms, idioms, proverbs.
The course program is valid until September 2027. From the winter session of 2027, exclusively the academic year 2026-27 course programme will be valid.
A (20 ore, three cfu): Syntax (Prof. Flinz)
B (20 ore, three cfu): Grammatical and textual structures, text analysis (Prof. Nicoli)
C (20 ore, three cfu): Phraseology (Prof. Nicoli)
The course provides 9 ECTS. It is not possible to acquire only 6 ECTS.
In A, the syntactic structures of Standard German and its variants will be dealt with from a theoretical point of view. In particular, the following topics will be examined: the definition of syntax, the definition of sentence, the analysis of the sentence (traditional analysis, the dependency/value grammar model, the generative grammar model), the constituent and tests to identify it, word classes and syntagma types, word order at sentence level, the semantic functions of the simple sentence, the syntactic functions of the simple sentence, the main sentence and the secondary sentence, secondary sentences). Contrastive reflections and practical applications will complement the description of syntactic phenomena.
In B, you will explore the main concepts of text linguistics and analyse passages from different text genres to recognize their typical structures. The following topics will be explored: the textual genre, the non-verbal characteristics of a text, recognizable words in a text, the verbal bracket and syntactic fields, the nominal bracket, the oral bracket and the subject of the sentence, secondary sentences, other constituents.
In C, both theoretical and practical aspects of German phraseology will be explored in depth, also with contrastive considerations. In particular, the following topics will be dealt with: definition of phraseologism, terms and classifications, fixed expressions, routine formulas, commonplaces, support verb constructs, twin forms, comparative phraseologisms, idioms, proverbs.
The course program is valid until September 2027. From the winter session of 2027, exclusively the academic year 2026-27 course programme will be valid.
Prerequisites for admission
The course, which is partly held in German, the materials and the examination bibliography implies the level of linguistic competence A2 (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages).
Teaching methods
The course adopts the following teaching methods: frontal lessons, group and individual work.
In addition, the course is supplemented by practical classes, for which please refer to the EXERCISE CLASSES form.
In addition, the course is supplemented by practical classes, for which please refer to the EXERCISE CLASSES form.
Teaching Resources
The course has a website on the online teaching platform Ariel, to which should be made reference for lesson notes and other materials provided by the professor.
The following are the mandatory readings for the three teaching units:
PART A: Syntax
- Flinz C. (2024): Linguistica dei corpora: una nuova prospettiva teorico-metodologica per lo studio di morfologia e sintassi in ambito DaF. Milano: Milano University Press. https://libri.unimi.it/index.php/milanoup/catalog/book/165 (Capitolo 2, Parte II, 119-154;
- Pittner K. (2016): Einführung in die germanistische Linguistik. Cap. 5 (Traditionelle Syntaxanalyse), pp. 86-124;
- Lesson notes
- Any material published on Ariel
For further study: Bianco M.T./Mollica, F. (2024): Sintassi del verbo tedesco. La prospettiva contrastiva. Carocci.
PART B: Grammatical and textual structures, text analysis
- Di Meola, C., La linguistica tedesca, Roma, Bulzoni, 2014.
- Blühdorn, H./Foschi Albert, M., Leggere e comprendere il tedesco. Manuale per studenti e docenti in formazione. Pisa: Pisa University Press, 2014.
- Busch, A./Stenschke O., Germanistische Linguistik, Tübingen, Narr, 2014.
- Lesson notes
- Any material published on Ariel
PART C: Phraseology
- Burger, Harald (2015): Phraseologie. Eine Einführung am Beispiel des Deutschen. 5. Neu bearbeitete Auflage. Berlin: Erich Schmidt Verlag. Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4.
- Barkowski, H. et al. (2017). Deutsch Lehren Lernen, 3. Deutsch als fremde Sprache. Stuttgart: Ernst Klett Sprachen. Chapter 2.2.
- Redensarten-Index: https://www.redensarten-index.de
- PhraseoLab: https://www.phraseolab.eu/de/
- Lesson notes
- Any material published on Ariel
The programme for non-attending students is identical to the program for attending students.
The following are the mandatory readings for the three teaching units:
PART A: Syntax
- Flinz C. (2024): Linguistica dei corpora: una nuova prospettiva teorico-metodologica per lo studio di morfologia e sintassi in ambito DaF. Milano: Milano University Press. https://libri.unimi.it/index.php/milanoup/catalog/book/165 (Capitolo 2, Parte II, 119-154;
- Pittner K. (2016): Einführung in die germanistische Linguistik. Cap. 5 (Traditionelle Syntaxanalyse), pp. 86-124;
- Lesson notes
- Any material published on Ariel
For further study: Bianco M.T./Mollica, F. (2024): Sintassi del verbo tedesco. La prospettiva contrastiva. Carocci.
PART B: Grammatical and textual structures, text analysis
- Di Meola, C., La linguistica tedesca, Roma, Bulzoni, 2014.
- Blühdorn, H./Foschi Albert, M., Leggere e comprendere il tedesco. Manuale per studenti e docenti in formazione. Pisa: Pisa University Press, 2014.
- Busch, A./Stenschke O., Germanistische Linguistik, Tübingen, Narr, 2014.
- Lesson notes
- Any material published on Ariel
PART C: Phraseology
- Burger, Harald (2015): Phraseologie. Eine Einführung am Beispiel des Deutschen. 5. Neu bearbeitete Auflage. Berlin: Erich Schmidt Verlag. Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4.
- Barkowski, H. et al. (2017). Deutsch Lehren Lernen, 3. Deutsch als fremde Sprache. Stuttgart: Ernst Klett Sprachen. Chapter 2.2.
- Redensarten-Index: https://www.redensarten-index.de
- PhraseoLab: https://www.phraseolab.eu/de/
- Lesson notes
- Any material published on Ariel
The programme for non-attending students is identical to the program for attending students.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The examination consists of the following parts, all mandatory:
1) EXAM OF THE EXERCISE CLASSES;
2) EXAM OF THE MONOGRAPHIC COURSE.
1) EXAM OF THE EXERCISE CLASSES (the oral part can be taken only after passing the written one):
a. WRITTEN Exam:
- ATTENDING STUDENTS: If students actively participate in at least 75% of the exercise classes, they have access to the partial examinations that take place at the end of each semester. The final grade for the written examination will be the average of the two partial examinations, both of which must be sufficient in every part. In the event of failure or rejection of the grade, students may take the full written examination for non-attending students. Students who refuse the grade for the partials must communicate their decision by e-mail to the lecturer in good time, and in any case before the total written examination takes place.
- NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS: The written test (B1 level) can be attended in MAY, SEPTEMBER, and JANUARY, starting with MAY 2026. All details of the exercises required for the written exam will be given on MyAriel. The examination is passed if all required tests reach the grade 18/30.
b. ORAL exam: The oral part can be taken only after passing the written one.
2) EXAM MONOGRAPHIC COURSE: The exam differs according to whether the students are attending the course or not:
- ATTENDING students: Attending students have access to the partial tests at the end of each semester. These partial tests substitute the official oral exams.
a. PART A (20 hours, 3 CFU). Partial test (written test with open and closed questions) in place of the official examination
b. PART B (20 hours, 3 CFU). Partial test (written test with open and closed questions) in place of the official examination
c. PART C (20 ore, 3 CFU). Partial test (written test with open and closed questions) in place of the official examination
- NON-ATTENDING students: Oral exam on the topics of the three modules.
NB: The oral test of the EXERCISE CLASSES and the written/oral examination of the MONOGRAPHIC COURSE are part of the same round.
The exam Lingua Tedesca 2 consists of written and oral parts (all compulsory):
Written and oral exam (EXERCISE CLASSES) + written/oral exam (MONOGRAPHIC COURSE).
The oral exam can only be taken after passing the written exam. All tests are evaluated in 30ths.
The recorded grade of Lingua Tedesca 2 will be unique, resulting from the average of all the grades (EXERCISE CLASSES and MONOGRAPHIC COURSE).
Non-attending students can take written and oral exams (EXERCISE CLASSES and MONOGRAPHIC COURSE) during the same round or in different sessions.
If carried out in the same round, the exam begins with a conversation in German with the mother tongue teacher about the readers in the program (EXERCISE CLASSES), and it continues with an oral interview with the professor about the contents of the MONOGRAPHIC COURSE, which includes verification of theoretical and practical knowledge acquired.
International students or incoming Erasmus students are invited to contact the teacher as soon as possible.
The examination procedures for students with disabilities and/or DSA must be agreed upon with the teacher and the competent office.
1) EXAM OF THE EXERCISE CLASSES;
2) EXAM OF THE MONOGRAPHIC COURSE.
1) EXAM OF THE EXERCISE CLASSES (the oral part can be taken only after passing the written one):
a. WRITTEN Exam:
- ATTENDING STUDENTS: If students actively participate in at least 75% of the exercise classes, they have access to the partial examinations that take place at the end of each semester. The final grade for the written examination will be the average of the two partial examinations, both of which must be sufficient in every part. In the event of failure or rejection of the grade, students may take the full written examination for non-attending students. Students who refuse the grade for the partials must communicate their decision by e-mail to the lecturer in good time, and in any case before the total written examination takes place.
- NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS: The written test (B1 level) can be attended in MAY, SEPTEMBER, and JANUARY, starting with MAY 2026. All details of the exercises required for the written exam will be given on MyAriel. The examination is passed if all required tests reach the grade 18/30.
b. ORAL exam: The oral part can be taken only after passing the written one.
2) EXAM MONOGRAPHIC COURSE: The exam differs according to whether the students are attending the course or not:
- ATTENDING students: Attending students have access to the partial tests at the end of each semester. These partial tests substitute the official oral exams.
a. PART A (20 hours, 3 CFU). Partial test (written test with open and closed questions) in place of the official examination
b. PART B (20 hours, 3 CFU). Partial test (written test with open and closed questions) in place of the official examination
c. PART C (20 ore, 3 CFU). Partial test (written test with open and closed questions) in place of the official examination
- NON-ATTENDING students: Oral exam on the topics of the three modules.
NB: The oral test of the EXERCISE CLASSES and the written/oral examination of the MONOGRAPHIC COURSE are part of the same round.
The exam Lingua Tedesca 2 consists of written and oral parts (all compulsory):
Written and oral exam (EXERCISE CLASSES) + written/oral exam (MONOGRAPHIC COURSE).
The oral exam can only be taken after passing the written exam. All tests are evaluated in 30ths.
The recorded grade of Lingua Tedesca 2 will be unique, resulting from the average of all the grades (EXERCISE CLASSES and MONOGRAPHIC COURSE).
Non-attending students can take written and oral exams (EXERCISE CLASSES and MONOGRAPHIC COURSE) during the same round or in different sessions.
If carried out in the same round, the exam begins with a conversation in German with the mother tongue teacher about the readers in the program (EXERCISE CLASSES), and it continues with an oral interview with the professor about the contents of the MONOGRAPHIC COURSE, which includes verification of theoretical and practical knowledge acquired.
International students or incoming Erasmus students are invited to contact the teacher as soon as possible.
The examination procedures for students with disabilities and/or DSA must be agreed upon with the teacher and the competent office.
L-LIN/14 - LANGUAGE AND TRANSLATION - GERMAN - University credits: 9
Lessons: 60 hours
Professors:
Flinz Carolina Melanie Gerda, Nicoli Roberto
Educational website(s)
Professor(s)