Romance Philology (advanced)
A.Y. 2021/2022
Learning objectives
This course aims to further students' knowledge of the historical-comparative study of Romance languages and literatures and to introduce them to the guiding principles of textual criticism, its application to medieval texts in the Romance vernaculars and their manuscript tradition.
Expected learning outcomes
Knowledge: At the end of the course, students will have a detailed knowledge of the Romance literature of the Middle Ages, set against their literary and historical background. Students will learn the principles of textual criticism, with a focus on the manuscript traditions of the texts written in the Romance languages of the Middle Ages. Students will also learn the historical grammar of the texts studied in the course. They will achieve a wider awareness of the importance of the philological study of the texts and of the tools of textual criticism.
Skills: Students will become skilled in the interpretation of the literary works in their formal aspects, content and broader historical and cultural context. Students will be able to paraphrase Old Italian texts or to translate texts in other Romance languages. They will be able to understand and use secondary literature and the different methodological perspectives it implies. Students will be able to comment on and expand upon the texts and the specific topics covered in the course, using Romance Philology's technical terms.
Skills: Students will become skilled in the interpretation of the literary works in their formal aspects, content and broader historical and cultural context. Students will be able to paraphrase Old Italian texts or to translate texts in other Romance languages. They will be able to understand and use secondary literature and the different methodological perspectives it implies. Students will be able to comment on and expand upon the texts and the specific topics covered in the course, using Romance Philology's technical terms.
Lesson period: First semester
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
A-H
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
More specific information on the delivery modes of training activities for academic year 2021/22 will be provided over the coming months, based on the evolution of the public health situation.
Course syllabus
Course title (60 hours and 9 ECTS): The "cantari" italiani between orality and writing.
A (20 hours and 3 ECTS): The "cantari" italiani between orality and writing.
B (20 hours and 3 ECTS): Observations of Textual Philology.
C (20 hours and 3 ECTS): Linguistics Considerations.
The course is addressed to students of the Degree Course in Humanities, whose surname starts from A to H that have already taken the first year course of this subject. The students who intend to take the exam for 9 ECTS will attend all the three Parts; students who intend to take the exam for 6 ECTS will attend Part A and Part B.
The advanced course further explores the insight into Romance Philology provided in the first year course according to a strategy that maintains a comparative view of Romance Language and Literature, and studies more in detail the linguistic problems and deals with the principles of textual criticism, and the philological dimension of the texts. This year's programme will mainly look into the genre of Italian "cantari"(A). This year's monographic course will be dedicated to the reading of the Arthurian Italian "cantare" of Ponzela Gaia. We will reflect on the popularity of the "cantari", mediators of literary texts, languages and levels of culture. The function of these texts is to promote an interactive process in which different materials and sources circulate and become a common heritage. Some caracteristics of the "ottava canterina" can be confronted with Boccaccio's poems in ottava rima, on the contrary strictly conditioned by an authorial project. The text will be interpreted against the background of inter-textual connections, considering the literary genre, interpretive and philological issues. The Part A will present the theme of the monographic course. Part B introduces the students to the guiding principles of textual criticism and its application in relation to Romance medieval texts and their manuscript tradition. Part C will focus on the Linguistic features of the text proposed in the course.
Other Information for the students
1. Non-attending students are invited to see the Professor at the office hour for any information regarding their exam.
International students or Erasmus incoming are invited to contact the Professor of the course.
The examination mode for SLD students and/or students with other disabilities will be agreed upon with the Professor in accordance with the competent Office.
2. Students of Degree Courses other than Humanities can substitute Teaching unit C (Linguistics) with other studies agreed with the Professor.
3. The students interested in a Thesis in Romance Philology (Three-year degree or Master Programme) are advised to contact the Professor in time in order to define the subject of the Thesis.
Please Note: Until further notice, in the current situation student's Reception will take place telematically by appointment: for reservations please write an e-mail to: [email protected]
A (20 hours and 3 ECTS): The "cantari" italiani between orality and writing.
B (20 hours and 3 ECTS): Observations of Textual Philology.
C (20 hours and 3 ECTS): Linguistics Considerations.
The course is addressed to students of the Degree Course in Humanities, whose surname starts from A to H that have already taken the first year course of this subject. The students who intend to take the exam for 9 ECTS will attend all the three Parts; students who intend to take the exam for 6 ECTS will attend Part A and Part B.
The advanced course further explores the insight into Romance Philology provided in the first year course according to a strategy that maintains a comparative view of Romance Language and Literature, and studies more in detail the linguistic problems and deals with the principles of textual criticism, and the philological dimension of the texts. This year's programme will mainly look into the genre of Italian "cantari"(A). This year's monographic course will be dedicated to the reading of the Arthurian Italian "cantare" of Ponzela Gaia. We will reflect on the popularity of the "cantari", mediators of literary texts, languages and levels of culture. The function of these texts is to promote an interactive process in which different materials and sources circulate and become a common heritage. Some caracteristics of the "ottava canterina" can be confronted with Boccaccio's poems in ottava rima, on the contrary strictly conditioned by an authorial project. The text will be interpreted against the background of inter-textual connections, considering the literary genre, interpretive and philological issues. The Part A will present the theme of the monographic course. Part B introduces the students to the guiding principles of textual criticism and its application in relation to Romance medieval texts and their manuscript tradition. Part C will focus on the Linguistic features of the text proposed in the course.
Other Information for the students
1. Non-attending students are invited to see the Professor at the office hour for any information regarding their exam.
International students or Erasmus incoming are invited to contact the Professor of the course.
The examination mode for SLD students and/or students with other disabilities will be agreed upon with the Professor in accordance with the competent Office.
2. Students of Degree Courses other than Humanities can substitute Teaching unit C (Linguistics) with other studies agreed with the Professor.
3. The students interested in a Thesis in Romance Philology (Three-year degree or Master Programme) are advised to contact the Professor in time in order to define the subject of the Thesis.
Please Note: Until further notice, in the current situation student's Reception will take place telematically by appointment: for reservations please write an e-mail to: [email protected]
Prerequisites for admission
The advanced course is aimed at students who have already taken the first year course of this subject.
Teaching methods
The course is offered in lecture format; attendance is strongly recommended. The teaching makes use of bibliographical materials such as critical editions, manuals, monographs, essays that will be partly uploaded on the Ariel on-line platform.
Teaching Resources
Bibliographical information and exam programme for attending students:
A
- For the exam, students are expected to read, and be prepared to paraphrase and to comment upon the Old Italian text Ponzela Gaia. They will study the lecture notes of the course, and some texts and essays.
Texts: - Ponzela Gaia. Galvano e la donna serpente, a cura di Beatrice Barbiellini Amidei, Roma, Carocci «Biblioteca medievale», 2000.
Please Note: Some other texts and studies will be provided and eventually uploaded on "Ariel" on-line platform.
B
- Attending students will study in detail the notes of the course and the handbook: A. D'Agostino, Capitoli di filologia testuale. Testi italiani e romanzi, Milano, CUEM, 2006. Theoretical parts and definitions (book's examples are subsidiary and complementary to the understanding of textual philology's topics).
C
- Attending students will study in detail the notes of the course, and the textbook: Luca Serianni, Lezioni di grammatica storica italiana, Roma, Bulzoni, 2005; and pp. 47-52 of Nota critico-bibliografica to the text Ponzela Gaia.
Bibliographical information and exam programme for non-attending students:
A
- For the exam, students should read, and be prepared to translate and to comment upon the Old Italian text of Ponzela Gaia. They will study some texts and essays.
Text: - Ponzela Gaia. Galvano e la donna serpente, a cura di Beatrice Barbiellini Amidei, Roma, Carocci «Biblioteca medievale», 2000.
Please Note: Some other texts and studies will be provided and eventually uploaded on "Ariel" on-line platform.
B
- A. D'Agostino, Capitoli di filologia testuale. Testi italiani e romanzi, Seconda edizione corretta e accresciuta, Milano, CUEM, 2006.
- Giovanni Orlandi, Latino e volgari nell'Occidente medievale, in Lo spazio letterario del Medioevo. 2 . Il Medioevo volgare. vol. II, La circolazione del testo, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2002, pp. 267-303. (Uploaded on the Ariel on-line platform).
- Alberto Vàrvaro, Il testo letterario, in Lo spazio letterario del Medioevo. 2 . Il Medioevo volgare. vol. I, La produzione del testo, t. I, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 1999, pp. 387-422. (Uploaded on the Ariel on-line platform).
C
- Luca Serianni, Lezioni di grammatica storica italiana, Roma, Bulzoni, 2005; and pp. 47-52 of Nota critico-bibliografica to the text Ponzela Gaia.
- Aurelio Roncaglia, La lingua d'oïl, Roma, Edizioni dell'Ateneo, 1971.
A
- For the exam, students are expected to read, and be prepared to paraphrase and to comment upon the Old Italian text Ponzela Gaia. They will study the lecture notes of the course, and some texts and essays.
Texts: - Ponzela Gaia. Galvano e la donna serpente, a cura di Beatrice Barbiellini Amidei, Roma, Carocci «Biblioteca medievale», 2000.
Please Note: Some other texts and studies will be provided and eventually uploaded on "Ariel" on-line platform.
B
- Attending students will study in detail the notes of the course and the handbook: A. D'Agostino, Capitoli di filologia testuale. Testi italiani e romanzi, Milano, CUEM, 2006. Theoretical parts and definitions (book's examples are subsidiary and complementary to the understanding of textual philology's topics).
C
- Attending students will study in detail the notes of the course, and the textbook: Luca Serianni, Lezioni di grammatica storica italiana, Roma, Bulzoni, 2005; and pp. 47-52 of Nota critico-bibliografica to the text Ponzela Gaia.
Bibliographical information and exam programme for non-attending students:
A
- For the exam, students should read, and be prepared to translate and to comment upon the Old Italian text of Ponzela Gaia. They will study some texts and essays.
Text: - Ponzela Gaia. Galvano e la donna serpente, a cura di Beatrice Barbiellini Amidei, Roma, Carocci «Biblioteca medievale», 2000.
Please Note: Some other texts and studies will be provided and eventually uploaded on "Ariel" on-line platform.
B
- A. D'Agostino, Capitoli di filologia testuale. Testi italiani e romanzi, Seconda edizione corretta e accresciuta, Milano, CUEM, 2006.
- Giovanni Orlandi, Latino e volgari nell'Occidente medievale, in Lo spazio letterario del Medioevo. 2 . Il Medioevo volgare. vol. II, La circolazione del testo, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 2002, pp. 267-303. (Uploaded on the Ariel on-line platform).
- Alberto Vàrvaro, Il testo letterario, in Lo spazio letterario del Medioevo. 2 . Il Medioevo volgare. vol. I, La produzione del testo, t. I, Roma, Salerno Editrice, 1999, pp. 387-422. (Uploaded on the Ariel on-line platform).
C
- Luca Serianni, Lezioni di grammatica storica italiana, Roma, Bulzoni, 2005; and pp. 47-52 of Nota critico-bibliografica to the text Ponzela Gaia.
- Aurelio Roncaglia, La lingua d'oïl, Roma, Edizioni dell'Ateneo, 1971.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The assessment method consists in an oral exam in which students will present in detail what they have learnt during the course, regarding the Romance literature of the Middle Ages, the principles of textual criticism and the tradition of Romance languages' texts written in the Middle Ages and the language of the texts proposed in the course. Students' evaluation will be based on their ability in paraphrasing the Old Italian text Ponzela Gaia, commenting on, and expanding upon the texts and the specific topics covered in the course and their skills in interpreting the formal aspects of the work, in using the secondary literature, several methodological perspectives and Romance Philology's lexicon. Marks are out of 30.
Unita' didattica A
L-FIL-LET/09 - ROMANCE PHILOLOGY AND LINGUISTICS - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica B
L-FIL-LET/09 - ROMANCE PHILOLOGY AND LINGUISTICS - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica C
L-FIL-LET/09 - ROMANCE PHILOLOGY AND LINGUISTICS - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
I-Z
Lesson period
First semester
More specific information on the delivery modes of training activities for the academic year 2021/22 will be provided during the coming months, based on the evolution of the public health situation.
Course syllabus
Part A (20 hours, 3 cfu): The Vie de saint Alexis and hagiography at the beginning of romance literatures
The Vie de saint Alexis is one of the first masterworks of hagiography in the romance vernaculars; its subject matter is drawn from a legend that circulated widely in the Middle Ages. We will read the Old French Vie de saint Alexis along with examples from the earliest hagiographic texts in the vernacular, and with other vernacular versions of the life of saint Alexius.
Parte B (20 ore, 3 cfu): Elements of textual philology; the critical editions of the Vie de saint Alexis
This part will present the methods for the study of the manuscript tradition and for the preparation of the critical edition of Medieval texts in the Romance vernaculars. Drawing on some exercises and on existing critical editions we will discuss the problems of editing the Vie de saint Alexis.
Parte C (20 ore, 3 cfu): Il francese antico
The first part of this part will introduce the first documents of the romance languages and investigate the problems of putting the romance vernaculars into writing; The second part will present aspects of Old French phonology, morphology and syntax with examples from the texts studied in part A.
The Vie de saint Alexis is one of the first masterworks of hagiography in the romance vernaculars; its subject matter is drawn from a legend that circulated widely in the Middle Ages. We will read the Old French Vie de saint Alexis along with examples from the earliest hagiographic texts in the vernacular, and with other vernacular versions of the life of saint Alexius.
Parte B (20 ore, 3 cfu): Elements of textual philology; the critical editions of the Vie de saint Alexis
This part will present the methods for the study of the manuscript tradition and for the preparation of the critical edition of Medieval texts in the Romance vernaculars. Drawing on some exercises and on existing critical editions we will discuss the problems of editing the Vie de saint Alexis.
Parte C (20 ore, 3 cfu): Il francese antico
The first part of this part will introduce the first documents of the romance languages and investigate the problems of putting the romance vernaculars into writing; The second part will present aspects of Old French phonology, morphology and syntax with examples from the texts studied in part A.
Prerequisites for admission
This course is addressed to students who have already attended the introductory Romance Philology course and passed the exam.
Teaching methods
The course consists of 30 lectures of 2 hours each. Lectures rely on e-learning material (images of manuscripts, maps, addresses of online dictionaries and databases) uploaded on the Ariel 2.0 website of the course. A pdf of the Power Point presentation used during the course is made available only at the end of each part. The lectures offer an integrated presentation of all the topics described above, which is not just an explanation of the bibliography; attendance is strongly recommended.
Teaching Resources
Part A:
- An anthology of the texts to be read and translated will be made available on the Ariel 2.0 website of the course, along with the bibliography for Part A.
Part B:
- A. D'Agostino, Capitoli di filologia testuale. Testi italiani e romanzi, seconda edizione corretta e accresciuta, Milano, CUEM, 2006.
Part C:
- A. Varvaro, Avviamento alla filologia francese medievale, Roma, Carocci, 2021 (or any reprint, including the first edition: Roma, Nuova Italia Scientifica, 1993), pp. 13-84 (the anthology and the glossary will be useful for the preparation of the short paper for Part C: see Assessment methods for this part).
All the documents uploaded on the Ariel 2.0 website of the course are part of the course's bibliography.
Students who are not able to attend the course need to contact the teacher in order to discuss their preparation for the exam and the topics they may find more difficult, but also to test their pronunciation of Medieval texts. They are strongly recommended to get a good set of notes from the students who have attended the course, in order to prepare a philological and linguistic commentary on the texts.
- An anthology of the texts to be read and translated will be made available on the Ariel 2.0 website of the course, along with the bibliography for Part A.
Part B:
- A. D'Agostino, Capitoli di filologia testuale. Testi italiani e romanzi, seconda edizione corretta e accresciuta, Milano, CUEM, 2006.
Part C:
- A. Varvaro, Avviamento alla filologia francese medievale, Roma, Carocci, 2021 (or any reprint, including the first edition: Roma, Nuova Italia Scientifica, 1993), pp. 13-84 (the anthology and the glossary will be useful for the preparation of the short paper for Part C: see Assessment methods for this part).
All the documents uploaded on the Ariel 2.0 website of the course are part of the course's bibliography.
Students who are not able to attend the course need to contact the teacher in order to discuss their preparation for the exam and the topics they may find more difficult, but also to test their pronunciation of Medieval texts. They are strongly recommended to get a good set of notes from the students who have attended the course, in order to prepare a philological and linguistic commentary on the texts.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The oral exam will be a survey of the topics discussed during the course. It is aimed at assessing a student's knowledge of literary history, textual philology and linguistics. The exam always begins with the translation of one of the passages analysed during the course; it is necessary for any student to be able to provide a sensible translation in order to pass the exam.
Students taking Unit C will submit a short paper consisting of the translation and linguistic analysis of a short passage in Old French, based on the handbook listed above and on their notes from the lectures.
Marks are out of 30.
National and international students or incoming Erasmus are invited to promptly contact the teacher of the course.
The exam mode for SLD students and/or for students with other disabilities will have to be agreed with the teacher in accordance with the Office in charge.
Students taking Unit C will submit a short paper consisting of the translation and linguistic analysis of a short passage in Old French, based on the handbook listed above and on their notes from the lectures.
Marks are out of 30.
National and international students or incoming Erasmus are invited to promptly contact the teacher of the course.
The exam mode for SLD students and/or for students with other disabilities will have to be agreed with the teacher in accordance with the Office in charge.
Unita' didattica A
L-FIL-LET/09 - ROMANCE PHILOLOGY AND LINGUISTICS - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica B
L-FIL-LET/09 - ROMANCE PHILOLOGY AND LINGUISTICS - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica C
L-FIL-LET/09 - ROMANCE PHILOLOGY AND LINGUISTICS - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Professor(s)