Ateneo - UPO

Linguistic varieties, dialects and proverbs: traditional dialect knowledge

1) M. Cerruti - R. Regis, Italiano e dialetto, Roma, Carocci, 2021 (ALL). 2) N. De Blasi, Geografia e storia dell’italiano regionale, Bologna, il Mulino, 2014 (ALL). 3) V. Lambertini, Che cos’è un proverbio, Roma, Carocci, 2022 (ALL). For non-attenders add: 4) N. De Blasi, Il dialetto nell’Italia unita, Roma, Carocci, 2019 (ALL).

The first objective of the course is to provide the student with the basic tools of dialectological analysis and variational linguistics. The second, more advanced objective is to enable the student to apply and develop autonomously and consciously the notions and methodologies learned to linguistic reasoning on theoretical and empirical data connected to the language/variety/dialect continuum and its traditional ethnoscientific classifications, including proverbs. Finally, the third objective is to allow the student to deal with the teaching methodologies for teaching linguistics and dialectology starting from the topics covered in the course.

Given the monographic, seminar and advanced nature of the course, attendance is highly recommended; it is possible to follow the course and then take the exam only and exclusively after having already successfully passed the General Linguistics A exam and that the result of the latter has been recorded. This program is valid until the February 2027 exam session, after which everyone is required to ask the teacher for a new updated program.

Frontal lessons and online teaching (DIR); the material in DIR is however only and exclusively an aid and does NOT replace in any way the texts indicated in the bibliography of the program. During the lessons, the active involvement of students is expected through the analysis and linguistic and cultural commentary of ethno-linguistic and socio-linguistic data, also with short essays and reports, in order to develop the ability to analyze diachronic and synchronic material, the assimilation of teaching methodologies of advanced general linguistics and specific communicative and metalinguistic skills.

Students with disabilities or Specific Learning Disorders (DSA) or Special Educational Needs (BES) can request specific services and tools dedicated to them by contacting the Career Development and Coordination and Student Services Staff and by consulting the dedicated page on the University website: https://uniupo.it/it/servizi/servizi-studentidisabili- e-dsa. Students with disabilities, DSA, BES, once they have contacted the University Staff, must contact the professor in charge of the course to agree on the exam methods at least 15 days before the exam itself; some of these methods must be approved by the professor in advance.

Oral exam lasting approximately 35-45 minutes. The exam will be passed when the grade is equal to or higher than 18/30. During the exam it is possible to withdraw and at the end of the exam refuse the grade if positive; the grade accepted immediately cannot be changed. The formulation of the grade will be based on the evaluation of the appropriate use of the specific metalanguage and the accuracy and appropriateness of the answers to the questions on the texts indicated in the program and in class. Honors will be awarded on the basis of an evaluation of the ability to study in depth and to independently elaborate. According to art. 35 of the University Teaching Regulations, the student can take the same exam no more than three times in an academic year.

The course program will focus on the analysis of the ethnolinguistic and sociolinguistic continuum between languages, linguistic varieties and dialects. Particular attention will be paid to the Italian situation and we will focus on the different characteristics of the regional varieties of Italian, the varieties of Italian on the border between language and dialects (colloquial Italian, popular Italian, Italian of emigrants, Italian of radio and television) and on Italian dialects (bilingualism/diglossia), including those of Eastern Piedmont; proverbs will then be addressed as a form of codification of an ethnoscience: history, diffusion, classification and use through a description of their sociolinguistics and pragmatics.

ABILITY TO APPLY KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING: Know how to recognize at least three of the linguistic phenomena and characteristics that characterize a specific historical-natural language, a specific dialect, a specific variety (on a phonetic and phonological, morphological, lexical, semantic, syntactic, but also pragmatic and textual level), evaluating the characteristics identified within the framework of a diachronic and synchronic sociolinguistic, ethnolinguistic and ethnoscientific continuum. JUDGMENT ABILITY: Know how to set up and deal with a linguistic-dialectological analysis in an autonomous and appropriate way with regard to the proposed examples, proposing one's own as further exemplification. COMMUNICATION SKILLS: know how to express the knowledge acquired by using specific and appropriate metalinguistic terminology with awareness. LEARNING SKILLS: Know how to delve deeper into the topics presented and develop a capacity for critical analysis with respect to the theoretical references and their concrete application to the Italian and dialect texts and proverbs examined.