THE IDEOLOGY OF LANGUAGE IN THE ISLAMIC WORLD

The course is part of the Master's Degree Program in Languages and Civilizations of Asia and Mediterranean Africa, Near and Middle East and Indian Subcontinent. The course aims to highlight the symbolic function that language (and in particular the Arabic language) and linguistic issues at large have assumed in the Muslim world, also in relation to the linguistic contact. Identity issues will be discussed, even in situations of conflict, and dynamics of power in their manifestations through language, both in synchrony and in diachrony.

The student will show an adequate knowledge of the sociolinguistic situation of the linguistic community of the areas of the language he/she studies and of the phenomena of variation and standardization related to it.
The student will have the ability to interpret linguistic phenomena (including those related to the literary sphere) from an historical and sociolinguistic point of view, with particular reference to identity issues and linguistic policies. The student must be able to carry out research and in-depth analysis using the tools of bibliographic research and of linguistic and sociolinguistic analysis; the student must be able to present the results in a clear and articulated way.

Knowledge of general linguistic and sociolinguistics will be of help.

The construction of standard language; purism and language academies; identity and alphabet ; the apology of language ; the symbolic function of language and asymmetry of power ; official language - standard language ; language and national identity; language policies ; conflict and competition between standard language / dialects / languages ​​in the Muslim world; the case of hybrid literature.

Suleiman, Y., Arabic in the Fray. Language ideology and cultural politics, Edinburgh University Press, 2013
Bassiouney, R., Arabic Sociolinguistics, Edinburgh University Press, 2009 (solo cap. 5)
Milroy, J., Language ideologies and the consequences of standardization, Journal of sociolinguistics, 5/4, 2001, pp. 530-555
İlker Aytürk, Turkish Linguists against the West: The Origins of Linguistic Nationalism in Atatürk's Turkey, Middle Eastern Studies, Vol. 40, No. 6 (Nov., 2004), pp. 1-25
Anghelescu, N., Linguaggio e cultura nella civiltà araba, Zamorani, 1993 (ch. IV)

Further readings will be available in Moodle and will be suggested during the course.

Test mode consists of the discussion on the topics covered in the course. Test mode includes the presentation of a paper (PowerPoint) that will be done individually or in pairs and will be presented and discussed in the classroom.

Lectures; seminars; presentations made by the students

Italian

Knowledge of one of the languages of the Muslim world (especially the basics of Arabic) and elementary notions of sociolinguistics and dialectology will be helpful.

oral