LANGUAGE, CULTURE AND TRANSLATION (ARABIC)

The course aims at introducing the students to the sociolinguistic situation of Arabic-speaking world, with particular reference to variation phenomena. The course focuses on the synchronic dimension and provides an overview of Arabic diglossia and the different approaches to the study of variation across register and style in Arabic.

The course aims to provide students with knowledge and methodological tools in the field of Arabic sociolinguistics. Sociolinguistic concepts, as standard and prestige language, diglossia and multilingualism, and social identity, will be discussed with reference to the Arabic context.
The objectives of the course are to familiarize students with the dimensions of synchronic linguistic variation of Arabic, to stimulate reflection and provide tools for sociolinguistic analysis of Arabic.

Knowledge of Standard Arabic (phonetics, morphology, syntax); basic knowledge of a colloquial variety.

-The sociolinguistics situation of contemporary Arabic-speaking world: standard and non-standard varieties; diglossia and alternative theories; sociolinguistic variation, prestige and identity; language policies in the post-colonial era.
-Arabic diglossic switching: introduction to the specific context of political speeches and application of the studied concepts to original texts selected by the teacher. The work on the text will consist of listening, transcription, analysis and translation into Italian.

- Berruto, G. and Cerruti, M. (2019) Manuale di sociolinguistica. Nuova Edizione. UTET.

- Albirini, A. (2016) Modern Arabic Sociolinguistics. Routledge (Chapter 7)
- Bassiouney, R. (2009) Arabic sociolinguistics. Edinburgh University Press (Chapters: 1, 2, 3).
- Holes, C. (2004) Modern Arabic: structures, functions, and varieties. Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press. (Chapter 9)
- Mazraani, N. (2008) Political Discourse and Language. in Encyclopedia of Arabic Language and Linguistics 3. pp. 663-671.
- Mejdell, G. (2018) Diglossia. in E. Benmamoun & R. Bassiouney (ed), The Routledge Handbook of Arabic Linguistics (Chapter 17).
- Versteegh, K. (2014) The Arabic language. Edinburgh University Press, 2nd ed., (Chapters: 13, 14).

The oral exam will consist of a discussion of the topics covered in class, in particular the student must show that she or he has acquired both the theoretical notions and the ability to analyze the texts studied.

oral

Lectures; conferences; seminars.