Learning Outcomes:
On successful completion of this module students will be able to: 1. identify the key figures and the main events which shaped the history of the Italian language from the Renaissance to today; 2. place them in their historical context; 3. spell out their significance for the development of Italian culture; 4. give a short oral presentation for class discussion 5. approach with competence and confidence the written assessments, consisting in a term essay and a choice of exams questions.
Indicative Module Content:
The module starts by offering a quick summary of the history of Italy and the Italian civilization up to the post-Renaissance period, when a linguistic norm was developed based on the classic Tuscan Mediaeval literature. Scholars from other Italian regions accepted this norm, which became the Italian language, even though it was not their own language. After this retrospective the module details how this written standard, which was effectively something of a dead language for most, became gradually a living vernacular. A key passage in this development is the formation of Italy as a unified country, and the subsequent radical changes in its society. The second part of the module thus becomes a description of the sociolinguistic situation of Italy, which shows how Italian gradually took the place of the original regional languages (dialetti) as everyday vernacular, without however eliminating them completely. The final part of the module hosts students' presentations, which are part and parcel of the sociolinguistic description and focus on local situations in detail.