LITERARY LANGUAGES (JAPAN)

This is one of the "integrative" courses of the "humanities" track within the "Japan" curriculum of the Bachelor's Degree Programme in "Language, Culture and Society of Asia and Mediterranean Africa".
The course contributes to the attainment of the teaching goals of the Corso di Laurea in the area of language skills, but it also invests the cultural and humanities areas.
This course contributes to:
- the linguistic preparation aimed at understanding critically the cultural heritage of the countries of East Asia (in this case: Japan)
- the use of language compentences in reading and interpreting texts in the student's language of study;
- the attainment of specific abilities in finding and interpreting data to elaborate answers to specific theoretical and practical problems.

The class aims to provide notions and abilities pertaining the reading, study, interpretation and translation of literary texts (in general) and literary texts in Japanese (in particular).

Knowledge and understanding:
- to know the principal tools for bibliographical research in the field of Japanese literature studies
- to know a number of tools of the academic discourse in the field of Japanese literature studies
- to acquire a number of concepts and tools for literary critique and textual analysis

Applying knowledge and understanding:
- to be able to apply formal and practcial notions for bibliographical research, references organizing, reading of academic texts, academic writing
- to be able to apply concepts and tools for literary critique and textual analysis to literary texts written in Japanese

Communication:
- to master a number of formal rules in the writing of a reference list
- to master a number of formal rules and rhetorical techniques in writing short academic essays

Autonomy of judgement:
- to be able to establish a hierarchy between the sources
- to be able to produce a personal, persuasive and well-researched argument regarding the literary texts that will be analyzed

The ideal target of this class are those students who (regardless of the exams they have passed or the classes they have attended before) have attained the teaching goals expected by the end of the first two years of the "Japan" curriculum.
More specifically, they are required to possess:
- a Japanese language level corresponding to that attained with the "Japanese language 2" class .
- an adequate knowledge of the history of Japanese literature (corresponding to the classes "Japanese literature" 1, 2)

For their individual study and the completion of the assignments of this class, the students are strongly advised to have access to a personal computer. Activities such as bibliographical research and academic writing (which are part of the class and will be required from students) are nearly impossible by using a smartphone.

The class comprises four teaching blocks, which wil be introduced at a genaral/theoretical level and then applied to the study of literary texts in Japanese:

1) bibliographical research and organizing the references
2) reading and understanding an academic essay on a literary text
3) reading, analyizing and translating a literary text


This class will use mainly case studies from modern Japanese literature (1868-1945). However, texts from other textual typologies and from other historical periods may also be considered.

1) bibliographical research and organizing the references

- vademecum for bibliographical research provided by the teacher

2) reading and understanding an academic essay on a literary text

- academic articles on Japanese literature (selection guided by the teacher)

3) reading, analyizing and translating a literary text

- Chines, Loredana e Varotti, Carlo, "Che cos'è un testo letterario (nuova edizione)", Roma, Carocci, 2015.
- original texts in Japanese and/or in translation provided by the teacher


Reading list for "non frequentanti" (I will consider as "non frequentanti" those students that will not have completed all the mid-class assignments):
- all the academic articles and creative texts that will be presented and discussed during classes
- Chines, Loredana e Varotti, Carlo, "Che cos'è un testo letterario (nuova edizione)", Roma, Carocci, 2015.
- one of the following books:
Bertoni, Federico, "Letteratura: teorie, metodi, strumenti", Roma, Carocci, 2018.
Brioschi, Franco, Di Girolamo Costanzo, Fusillo, Massimo, "Introduzione alla letteratura", Roma, Carocci, 2013
Ceserani, Remo, "Guida breve allo studio della letteratura", Roma, Laterza, 2008.

A) frequentanti:

The attainment of the expected learning goals will be verified as follows:

1) bibliographical research and organizing the references

- The students will produce a "bibliography" or "list of references" on an assigned topic (individual mid-class assignment) (20% of the final evaluation)

2) reading and understanding an academic essay on a literary text

- The students will write a summary or give an oral presentation on an academic article of their choice (40% of the final evaluation)

3) final exam (40% of the final evaluation): oral exam on the contents of the course


B) "non frequentanti":
- oral exam on the contents of the entire reading list for "non frequentanti".

Frontal lessons and seminars.
Mid-class assignements (individually or by groups, depending on the number of enrolled students).

Italian

This exam (with this syllabus) will be available only for the 4 "appelli" of the 2022-23 academic year. In 2023-24, this class will not be available.

written and oral