Slavic Philology
A.Y. 2019/2020
Learning objectives
This course explores the premodern linguistic and cultural history of the Slavic people, with a special emphasis on their interactions during the ancient and medieval periods. One of the main goals of this course is to provide a thorough understanding of Old Slavonic, the common written language of the Orthodox Slav world, through the study of its grammar and the reading of at least two texts written in this language.
Expected learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding: knowledge of the historical and cultural context of the development of the oldest Slavic civilization, analyzed from a comparative perspective; knowledge of the origin, evolution, and classification of the Slavic languages; knowledge of the grammar of Old Slavonic.
Applying knowledge and understanding: ability to read, translate, and grammatically parse a text in Old Slavonic; ability to interpret and comment on an Old Slavonic text within its cultural and historical framework.
Applying knowledge and understanding: ability to read, translate, and grammatically parse a text in Old Slavonic; ability to interpret and comment on an Old Slavonic text within its cultural and historical framework.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
Unit A: An introduction to premodern Slavonic cultural and political history
Unit B: An elementary grammar of Old Church Slavonic
Unit C: From sinner to Christian prince: The image of prince Vladimir thorugh the centuries
Unit A explores premodern Slavic cultural and political history, tracing the spread of Church Slavonic as the language of Orthodox Slavdom. Unit B is dedicated to analysing the sound and grammatical structure—the phonology and morphology—of Old Church Slavonic and reading texts written in this language. Unit C charts the development of the cult of prince Vladimir of Kiev and its political uses by medieval and early modern Russian writers.
Students who want to take 6 credits are required to attend units A-B. Those who want to take 9 credits are required to attend units A-B-C. The program is valid until July 2021.
Unit B: An elementary grammar of Old Church Slavonic
Unit C: From sinner to Christian prince: The image of prince Vladimir thorugh the centuries
Unit A explores premodern Slavic cultural and political history, tracing the spread of Church Slavonic as the language of Orthodox Slavdom. Unit B is dedicated to analysing the sound and grammatical structure—the phonology and morphology—of Old Church Slavonic and reading texts written in this language. Unit C charts the development of the cult of prince Vladimir of Kiev and its political uses by medieval and early modern Russian writers.
Students who want to take 6 credits are required to attend units A-B. Those who want to take 9 credits are required to attend units A-B-C. The program is valid until July 2021.
Prerequisites for admission
Students enrolled in the BA Program in Foreign Languages must have succesfully completed the Glottology course. A basic knowledge of at least one Slavic language is recommended. Students enrolled in other BA or MA programs are invited to contact the lecturer to determine appropriate syllabus accomodations. Erasmus students with a basic knowledge of one Slavic language are encouraged to attend the course.
Teaching methods
The course is taught through weekly lectures. Lectures include reading and grammatical analysis of Old Church Slavonic texts and student presentations on specific cultural topics.
Teaching Resources
Most course materials, including texts for discussion in class, are available on the Ariel site (https://mbartolinifs.ariel.ctu.unimi.it)
Unit A:
Marcello Garzaniti, Gli slavi. Storia, culture e lingue dalle origini ai giorni nostri, Carocci 2013, pp. 23-76, 109-279.
Unit B:
Codex Marianus (Mt. 14, 22-33).
N. Marcialis, Introduzione alla lingua paleoslava, Firenze 2005 (o edizioni successive), pp. 3-197.
Unit C:
Francis Butler, Enlightener of Rus. The Image of Vladimir Sviatoslavich across the Centuries, Bloomington 2002, pp. 3-55
A selection of primary texts on prince Vladimir is available on the Ariel site
Program for distant learners
Unit A:
Marcello Garzaniti, Gli slavi. Storia, culture e lingue dalle origini ai giorni nostri, Carocci 2013, pp. 23-323
Unit B:
Students can choose one reading between:
1. Anthony-Emil N. Tachiaos, Cirillo e Metodio : le radici cristiane della cultura slava / ; edizione italiana a cura di Marcello Garzaniti, Milano : Jaca Book, 2005
2. Simon Franklin, Writing, Society and Culture in Early Rus', c. 950-1300, Cambridge 2004.
Unit C
Francis Butler, Enlightener of Rus. The Image of Vladimir Sviatoslavich across the Centuries, Bloomington 2002, pp. 3-115
A selection of primary texts on prince Vladimir is available on the Ariel site.
Unit A:
Marcello Garzaniti, Gli slavi. Storia, culture e lingue dalle origini ai giorni nostri, Carocci 2013, pp. 23-76, 109-279.
Unit B:
Codex Marianus (Mt. 14, 22-33).
N. Marcialis, Introduzione alla lingua paleoslava, Firenze 2005 (o edizioni successive), pp. 3-197.
Unit C:
Francis Butler, Enlightener of Rus. The Image of Vladimir Sviatoslavich across the Centuries, Bloomington 2002, pp. 3-55
A selection of primary texts on prince Vladimir is available on the Ariel site
Program for distant learners
Unit A:
Marcello Garzaniti, Gli slavi. Storia, culture e lingue dalle origini ai giorni nostri, Carocci 2013, pp. 23-323
Unit B:
Students can choose one reading between:
1. Anthony-Emil N. Tachiaos, Cirillo e Metodio : le radici cristiane della cultura slava / ; edizione italiana a cura di Marcello Garzaniti, Milano : Jaca Book, 2005
2. Simon Franklin, Writing, Society and Culture in Early Rus', c. 950-1300, Cambridge 2004.
Unit C
Francis Butler, Enlightener of Rus. The Image of Vladimir Sviatoslavich across the Centuries, Bloomington 2002, pp. 3-115
A selection of primary texts on prince Vladimir is available on the Ariel site.
Assessment methods and Criteria
Students are assessed by oral examination at the end of the course. The oral examination is structured as follows:
- Questions on the historical, cultural, and political background studied in Unit A
- Linguistic analysis of an Old Church Slavonic text read in class in Unit B
- Linguistic and literary analysis of a text read in class during Unit C
Distant learners are not required to perform the linguistic analysis of Old Church Slavonic texts.
Erasmus students are invited to contact the lecturer via email or during her office hours. Disabled students and students with specific learning disabilities should determine appropriate assessment accomodations together with the lecturer and the University services for disabled students.
- Questions on the historical, cultural, and political background studied in Unit A
- Linguistic analysis of an Old Church Slavonic text read in class in Unit B
- Linguistic and literary analysis of a text read in class during Unit C
Distant learners are not required to perform the linguistic analysis of Old Church Slavonic texts.
Erasmus students are invited to contact the lecturer via email or during her office hours. Disabled students and students with specific learning disabilities should determine appropriate assessment accomodations together with the lecturer and the University services for disabled students.
Unita' didattica A
L-LIN/21 - SLAVIC STUDIES - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica B
L-LIN/21 - SLAVIC STUDIES - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica C
L-LIN/21 - SLAVIC STUDIES - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Professor(s)