IT3HL-History of the Italian Language

Module Provider: Languages and Cultures
Number of credits: 20 [10 ECTS credits]
Level:6
Terms in which taught: Autumn / Spring term module
Pre-requisites: IT2L2 Intermediate Italian Language or IT2L3 Advanced Italian Language I or IT2L4 Advanced Italian Language II
Non-modular pre-requisites:
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2022/3

Module Convenor: Mr Federico Faloppa
Email: f.faloppa@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

This module aims to provide students with an awareness of the origin and development of the Italian language from the 10th to the 21st century. It also aims to give students a strong awareness of the importance of socio-historical factors for the development and the standardisation of a “national” language.

Aims:
This module aims to provide students with an awareness of the origin and development of the Italian language from the 10th to the 21st century. It also aims to give students a strong awareness of the importance of socio-historical factors for the development and the standardisation of a £national£ language.

Assessable learning outcomes:

By the end of this module, students will have acquired:

• a general knowledge of the history of the Italian language up to the 20th century


• knowledge about the methodological issues relating to the description of contemporary Italian


• a detailed knowledge of a selection of texts which are of crucial importance in relation to the history of the Italian language


• the ability to carry out a linguistic analysis of a text.

Additional outcomes:

Students will be able to provide rigorous definitions of linguistic phenomena and to argue them orally and in writing. Students may also develop their IT skills by conducting Web searches for materials relevant to the module and by submitting word processed essays.

Outline content:

The course will go through the main events and phenomena that contributed to the making of the Italian language and will follow the issues debated in the so called Questione della lingua, from Dante’s De Vulgari Eloquentia to Pasolini’s and Calvino’s discussion on the new Italian.

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:

The module will be taught through a combination of lectures and seminars,  for which students will carry out preparatory reading. Seminars will be delivered in a structured group discussion.

Contact hours:

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Lectures	10	10
Seminars	5	5
Guided independent study:	85	85
Total hours by term	100	100	0
Total hours for module	200

Summative Assessment Methods:

Method	Percentage
Written assignment including essay	40
Project output other than dissertation	60

Summative assessment- Examinations:

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:

Assessment in the Autumn Term will comprise one 2500-word essay (worth 40%) in the Autumn Term, and a project  (worth 60%) due in the Summer Term. The overall assessment mark will be subject to scrutiny by a second internal examiner and by the external examiner where relevant.

Formative assessment methods:

All students will be asked to contribute to class discussions and activities.

Penalties for late submission:

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of five working days;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than five working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/cqsd-old-site-documents/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf
You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Assessment requirements for a pass:
40%

Reassessment arrangements:

Reassessment in August, in the event of failure in this module and of failure in the degree as a whole. Coursework for reassessment must be resubmitted on the third Friday of August or, if the University is closed on the third Friday of August, on the next working day thereafter.

Additional Costs (specified where applicable):

1) Required text books: 

2) Specialist equipment or materials: 

3) Specialist clothing, footwear or headgear: 

4) Printing and binding: 

5) Computers and devices with a particular specification: 

6) Travel, accommodation and subsistence: 

Last updated: 22 September 2022