BERGAMO
Overview
Date/time interval
Syllabus
Course Objectives
Course Prerequisites
Language of the module: Italian.
Teaching Methods
Assessment Methods
The first 3 questions (up to 10 points each) deal with linguistics topics (definition of phonemes and definition and explanation of linguistic phenomena; explanation of the transitions that occurred from an Indo-European root to a Germanic root; etymologies; an optional question allows to obtain 3 extra points.
The other 3 questions (up to 10 points each) deal with the cultural-historical parts of the program. an optional question allows to obtain 3 extra points.
The exam is passed if in both parts the score is 18/30 or higher; the final grade is the average of the scores obtained in the two parts.
For a positive grade, students must know the main contents of the course; for a highly positive grade, students must be able to make connections between the linguistic and cultural phenomena studied and to chronologically place events, works and characters; for an excellent grade, the student must demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the topics and be able to expound them with expressive mastery. In the case of the written exam, the results are published in the student's electronic booklet.
Contents
The following topics will be covered during the course: 1) Origin and development of Germanic languages: from Indo-European to Common Germanic; etymologies (notes available on Moodle). 2) Religious beliefs and funerary practices: evidence from within the Germanic world (Norse sources, the days of the week, Sutton Hoo archaeological site, the funeral of Scyld Scefing and Beowulf) and evidence from the Arabs Ibn Fadlan and Ibn Rustah. 3) Encounter with the Latin-Christian world: linguistic and cultural aspects; transition from orality to writing; the cultural program of Charlemagne on the continent and Alfred the Great in Anglo-Saxon England. 4) Anglo-Saxon versions of "The Wonders of the East" and their iconographic apparatus. Reading of the text in Italian translation and analysis of some sentences in the original language (material available on Moodle). 5) The representation of the "other" at the time of the Crusades. The "Song of Roland" (compared with the "Chanson de Roland") and "Parzival" (the love of Gahmuret and Belakane; the duel between Parazival and Feirefiz). Reading in Italian translation of some passages and analysis of some sentences in Middle German (material available on Moodle). 6) The Norse world in the Japanese imagination: Notes on manga and anime (“Vinland Saga”, “Record of Ragnarok”, “Attack on Titan”) in comparison with Western productions (“The Northman”, “Vikings”, “Norsemen”, “Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla”). For a more detailed analysis of these rewritings, please refer to the course Intercultural Heritage, Media and Archives (second semester).
Reference texts (discussed during the course): - A. Zironi, “Filologia germanica. Lingua, storia, cultura, testi”, Le Monnier 2022. Capitoli: 1. Scopi e ambiti della filologia germanica; 2.2 Le specificità del germanico; 2.4.1 Il consonantismo; 2.4.2 Il vocalismo; 2.6 L’etimologia; 3.5.2 Dai Carolingi agli Hohenstaufen: la parabola di un impero; 5.5.4 Alfredo il Grande. - J. Brøndsted, capitolo “Credenze religiose e usi funerari”, in: “I Vichinghi”, Einaudi, 2001, pp. 270-304. - P. Lendinara, “Di meraviglia in meraviglia”, in: F. De Vivo, “Circolazione di uomini, di idee e di testi nel Medioevo germanico”, 2002, pp. 177-229. - M.G. Cammarota / M. Bensi, “Il vescovo Turpino nella Chanson de Roland e nel Rolandslied”, in: Linguistica e Filologia 35, 2015: pp. 29-67. - M.G. Cammarota, “Il rifiuto dell’altro. La costruzione della polarità cristiani-musulmani nel Parzival di Auguste Lechner, in: Medioevi moderni, Modernità del Medioevo, a cura di Marina Buzzoni, Maria Grazia Cammarota, Marusca Francini, Venezia, Edizioni Ca’ Foscari – Digital Publishing 2013: pp. 23-40.
Online Resources
More information
Second semester.
Bibliography: see the section "Libri di testo e letture per il corso / Reading list". Refer to the materials made available on Moodle.
Additional texts for NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS: 1) Zironi, cap. 4 “Cultura germanica”. 2) Useful text for etymologies: Scardigli / Gervasi, "Avviamento all'etimologia inglese e tedesca". 3) Instead of topics 5 and 6 of the course content, non-attending students will study the volume M. Bampi, “Sui sentieri del Graal. Il Parzival di Wolfram von Eschenbach”, Meltemi 2022.