Department of Italian

Modern & Medieval Languages

Department of Italian

Paper It 2

Structures and Varieties of Italian

Download the 2005 exam paper
Download the 2006 exam paper
Download the 2007 exam paper
Download the 2008 exam paper
Download the 2009 exam paper
Download the 2010 exam paper
Exam papers which have been set since 2010 can be downloaded from CamTools.

This paper has both a practical side and a theoretical side. On the one hand, it will help you to develop your knowledge of Italian grammar and pronunciation and to familiarize yourself with the many varieties of Italian. On the other hand, it will introduce you to the techniques and problems involved in the structural, sociolinguistic and stylistic description of a language.

Preparation and Teaching

In this paper you will study the internal structure of the standard Italian language (without regard to its evolution and with particular attention to the so-called 'difficult' points of grammar) together with the internal structure of the minority language systems used in Italy (i.e., the 'dialects'). You will also study the sociolinguistic situation in contemporary Italy.

In the Structures portion of the course you will get to grips with phonetics and phonology (the sounds of Italian and the Italian dialects), morphology (the formation of words), syntax (the structure of sentences), and vocabulary (the words that make up these languages). In the Varieties portion you will become familiar with the dialects, 'popular' Italian, the variety of Italian spoken by the immigrant communities abroad, regional Italian, as well as different registers (literary style, journalistic language, bureaucratic language) and sociolinguistics.

One useful tool designed with this paper in mind is Steff Teichmann's web site Pronunce Italiane Regionali.

The course is taught through weekly lectures and regular supervisions.

Examination

The three-hour examination will consist of two parts, Section A dealing with the Structures, and Section B with the Varieties. You will be required to answer at least one question from each section and one other from either section A or B.

Texts

  • Berruto, G., 'Main topics and findings in Italian sociolinguistics’ International Journal of the Sociology of Language 76: 7-30 (1989).
  • Bettoni, C. (ed.), Altro Polo: Italian Abroad (Sydney: Frederick May, 1986).
  • Bruni, F., L’italiano: elementi di storia della lingua e della cultura (Turin: UTET, 1987).
  • Chapallaz, M., The Pronunciation of Italian (Cambridge: Heffers, 1986).
  • De Mauro, T. and Lodi, M., Lingua e dialetti (Roma: Riuniti, 1993).
  • Devoto, G. and Giacomelli, M., I dialetti delle regioni d’Italia (Firenze: Sansoni, 1972)
  • Grassi, G. et al, Fondamenti di dialettologia italiana (Bari: Laterza, 1997)
  • Lepschy, A.L. and Lepschy, G., The Italian Language Today (London: Routledge, 1988).
  • Maiden, M. and Parry, M. (eds.), The Dialects of Italy (London: Routledge, 1997).
  • Maiden, M. and Robustelli, C., A reference grammar of modern Italian (London: Arnold, 2000).
  • Salvi, G. and Vanelli, L., Grammatica essenziale di riferimento della lingua italiana (Firenze: Le Monnier, 1992).
  • Sobrero, A., Introduzione all’italiano contemporaneo (2 vols), (Bari: Laterza, 1993)
  • Vincent, N., "Italian" in M. Harris and N. Vincent (eds.), The Romance Languages (London: Routledge, 1988).

Bibliography

  • Berruto, G., Sociolinguistica dell’italiano contemporaneo (Rome: La Nuova Italia Scientifica, 1990).
  • Canepari, L., Italiano standard e pronunce regionali (Padova: CLEUP, 1986), (tapes in language laboratory).
  • Dardano, M., Manualetto di linguistica italiana (Bologna: Zanichelli, 1991).
  • Haller, H., Una lingua perduta e ritrovata: l'italiano degli italo-americani (Firenze: La Nuova Italia, 1993).
  • Holtus, G., Metzeltin, M. and Schmitt, C. (eds.), Lexicon der Romanistischen Linguistik: Italienisch, Korsisch, Sardisch, vol. 4 (Tübingen: Max Niemeyer, 1988).
  • Maiden, M., A linguistic history of Italian (London: Longman, 1995).
  • Pellegrini, G., Carta dei dialetti d'Italia (Pisa: Pacini, 1977).
  • Renzi, L. (ed.), Grande grammatica italiana di consultazione vol. I. La frase. I sintagmi nominale e preposizionale (Bologna: Il Mulino, 1988).
  • Renzi, L. and Salvi, G. (eds.), Grande grammatica italiana di consultazione vol. II. I sintagmi verbale, aggettivale, avverbiale. La subordinazione (Bologna: Il Mulino, 1991).
  • Renzi, L., Salvi, G. and Cardinaletti, A. (eds.), Grande grammatica italiana di consultazione vol. III (Bologna: Il Mulino, 1995).
  • Rizzi, L., Issues in Italian Syntax (Dordrecht: Foris, 1982).
  • Rohlfs, G., Grammatica storica della lingua italiana e dei suoi dialetti: I, Fonetica; II, Morfologia ; III, Sintassi e formazione delle parole (Torino: Einaudi, 1966; 1968; 1969).
  • Sobrero, A. (ed.), Introduzione all’italiano contemporaneo. I Le strutture. II La variazione e gli usi (Bari: Laterza, 1993).

Further information

Please contact Ms Claudia Peverini (e-mail: cp306@cam.ac.uk) to discuss the paper further.

 

 

Share/Bookmark