116-466 The Story of Italian

Formerly available as 116-076/366. Students who have completed 116-076 or 116-366 are not eligible to enrol in this subject.

Completion of 37.5 points of Italian at intermediate or post-VCE level for third year. Admission to the postgraduate diploma or fourth year honours in Italian for fourth year. European studies students wishing to enrol in this subject would normally have completed 37.5 points of European studies at second/third year, see Prerequisites.

This subject begins with a study of the history of the language, which describes the development of the Italian language since its Indo-European origins; the linguistic situation in Roman Italy; the fragmentation of Latin; and the genesis of present day Italian dialects. The subject will also focus on the questione della lingua and the ascendancy of Tuscan/Roman. The 'dialectology' section of the subject involves an introduction to the study of one regional dialect. On completion of this subject, students should have acquired a basic knowledge of the structures of Latin to the extent that they are reflected in present day Italian; a knowledge of the development of Italian from post-classical Latin to the language spoken in contemporary Italy, and the reasons for that development; and a basic knowledge of the structures of one major Italian dialect.

• acquire particular generic skills:

• understanding of social, political, historical and cultural contexts and international awareness/openness to the world: through the contextualisation of judgements and knowledge, developing a critical self-awareness, being open to new ideas and new aspects of French and Italian culture, and by formulating arguments;

• communicating knowledge intelligibly and economically: through essay and assignment writing, tutorial discussion and class presentations;

• public speaking and confidence in self-expression: through tutorial participation and class presentations.

Two take home assignments totalling 2000 words 60 (due during semester) and two hours of class tests 40 (due during semester).

• S Lanuzza, Storia della lingua italiana. Newton Crompton.