BERGAMO
Overview
Date/time interval
Syllabus
Course Objectives
The course provides students with fundamental knowledge of the languages spoken by ancient Germanic peoples and the literatures that arose from them, with particular attention to the origins of the English and German traditions. This knowledge enables students to understand the evolutionary processes of the foreign languages and cultures they have chosen to study (English and/or German), to recognize their specific features, and to develop an awareness of the complex factors that contribute to the formation of modern languages and literatures.
Course Prerequisites
THERE ARE NO PREREQUISITES
Knowledge of modern German is not required for this module.
This module is intended for students enrolled in the “Turismo culturale” and “Processi interculturali” tracks and is taught entirely in Italian.
It is advisable to have already taken the linguistics exam.
Teaching Methods
Lectures with exercises and readings throughout the course. Most of the topics from the texts listed in the bibliography will be analyzed in class (the remainder is part of the student’s individual study responsibilities).
The instructor may propose activities and/or presentations and/or projects for individuals or small groups.
Assessment Methods
Learning assessment includes a written partial exam at the end of the course, while the regular session exams are always oral.
During the course, guidance is provided on exam procedures, with reflections on content and strategies. The instructor also shares a detailed evaluation rubric that clearly explains the examination methods.
For a passing grade, students must demonstrate knowledge of the main course contents;
for a more than satisfactory grade, they should be able to create connections between the linguistic and cultural phenomena studied and place events, works, and figures in their chronological context;
for an excellent grade, students must show an in-depth understanding of the topics and present them with expressive mastery.
Evaluation will be divided into 5 bands and will take into account both the knowledge of course contents:
- (30 cum laude) – excellent; precise, correct, and appropriate.
- (30-27) – very good; correct.
- (26-24) – good; mostly correct.
- (23-18) – acceptable; with some occasional mistakes.
- (below 18) – partial and/or superficial; with numerous errors.
Contents
A) Origin and development of the Germanic languages (from Indo-European to Proto-Germanic), etymology of key words (in the evolution from Indo-European to Germanic, and from Germanic to the early Germanic languages).
B) Sources on the Germanic world (historical, literary, linguistic, and mythological sources). Institutions of the Germanic world. Norse religion and mythology. Magical-religious thought and runic writing, along with some of the artifacts on which it is attested (stones, weapons, tomb slabs, etc.), and analysis of selected objects. In-depth study of the theme of travel (both physical and spiritual) with readings in Italian of some Scandinavian runic inscriptions and excerpts from Norse, English, and German traditions — including charms, riddles, and elegies.
C) Brief overview of rewritings or adaptations of aspects of medieval Germanic culture: the revival of myth in the works of J.R.R. Tolkien; reinterpretations of historical-mythological sources of Germanic peoples in TV series (Vikings, Ragnarok), manga (Vinland Saga), video games (God of War, Assassin’s Creed / Valhalla), and music.
For a more detailed analysis of these rewritings, please refer to the course Intercultural Heritage, Media and Archives offered in the second semester.
Online Resources
More information
On the course’s Moodle platform, students can find the presentations used in class and all the material provided by the instructor.
The lecture notes and the material uploaded on Moodle by the instructor do NOT replace the study of the texts listed in Leganto.