Romance Philology (advanced)
A.Y. 2022/2023
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
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
A-H
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Course syllabus
Course title (60 hours and 9 ECTS): Buovo d'Antona: a knightly hero of international fortune.
A (20 hours and 3 ECTS): Reading and interpretation of the poem based on the popular romance Buovo d'Antona.
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 the north-italian poem in ottave based on the popular romance Buovo d'Antona (teaching unit A). This year's monographic course will be dedicated to the reading of «Buovo d'Antona» poemetto in ottave of northern origin that constitutes a version of the widespread legend of the English knight. The story, handed down in many versions, is a vivid illustration of the huge european and italian success of the chivalrous imagination which formed a fundamental trait of unity between European Middle Ages and Early Modern Age' s culture. 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.
A (20 hours and 3 ECTS): Reading and interpretation of the poem based on the popular romance Buovo d'Antona.
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 the north-italian poem in ottave based on the popular romance Buovo d'Antona (teaching unit A). This year's monographic course will be dedicated to the reading of «Buovo d'Antona» poemetto in ottave of northern origin that constitutes a version of the widespread legend of the English knight. The story, handed down in many versions, is a vivid illustration of the huge european and italian success of the chivalrous imagination which formed a fundamental trait of unity between European Middle Ages and Early Modern Age' s culture. 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.
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 or translate and to comment upon the Old Italian text Buovo d'Antona and other texts. They will study the lecture notes of the course, and some texts and essays.
Texts: - Buovo d'Antona, a cura di Daniela Delcorno Branca, Roma, Carocci, «Biblioteca medievale», 2008.
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. 38-40 of Nota al Testo of the Buovo d'Antona.
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 Buovo d'Antona and other texts. They will study some texts and essays.
Text: - Buovo d'Antona, a cura di Daniela Delcorno Branca, Roma, Carocci, «Biblioteca medievale», 2008.
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. 38-40 of Nota al Testo of the Buovo d'Antona.
- 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 or translate and to comment upon the Old Italian text Buovo d'Antona and other texts. They will study the lecture notes of the course, and some texts and essays.
Texts: - Buovo d'Antona, a cura di Daniela Delcorno Branca, Roma, Carocci, «Biblioteca medievale», 2008.
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. 38-40 of Nota al Testo of the Buovo d'Antona.
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 Buovo d'Antona and other texts. They will study some texts and essays.
Text: - Buovo d'Antona, a cura di Daniela Delcorno Branca, Roma, Carocci, «Biblioteca medievale», 2008.
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. 38-40 of Nota al Testo of the Buovo d'Antona.
- 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 Buovo d'Antona, 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.
L-FIL-LET/09 - ROMANCE PHILOLOGY AND LINGUISTICS - University credits: 9
Lessons: 60 hours
Professor:
Barbiellini Amidei Beatrice
I-Z
Lesson period
First semester
Course syllabus
Part A (40 hours, 6 ects): The first 'traces' of Italian lyrics and the literary tradition of the Romance languages,
We will examine the earliest copies of Italian lyrics between the end of the twelfth century and the beginning of the thirteenth century: some of them have been discovered only during the last twenty years. We will study their formal and stylistic features in the light of their relationship with contemporary texts written in Old French and Occitan in order to show how literary models circulated between Romance literatures, and how the Italian texts adapted their models to a new context.
In the second part of these lessons, we will examine the methods for the study of the manuscript tradition and for the preparation of the critical edition of Medieval texts in the Romance vernaculars. We will look at the texts studied in part A in otder to focus on the issues faced when editing a text transmitted by a single manuscript or by several manuscripts. We will also analyze the way in which both kinds of texts have been transmitted from the point of view of a typology of the manuscript tradition.
Part C (20 hours, 3 ects): French and Occitan: a comparative approach
We will look at the texts we studied in parts A and B in order to highlight the main features of Old French and Occitan. We will look at the Italian, Occitan and French texts in order to study the relationships between spelling and pronunciation in the Romance scriptae.
We will examine the earliest copies of Italian lyrics between the end of the twelfth century and the beginning of the thirteenth century: some of them have been discovered only during the last twenty years. We will study their formal and stylistic features in the light of their relationship with contemporary texts written in Old French and Occitan in order to show how literary models circulated between Romance literatures, and how the Italian texts adapted their models to a new context.
In the second part of these lessons, we will examine the methods for the study of the manuscript tradition and for the preparation of the critical edition of Medieval texts in the Romance vernaculars. We will look at the texts studied in part A in otder to focus on the issues faced when editing a text transmitted by a single manuscript or by several manuscripts. We will also analyze the way in which both kinds of texts have been transmitted from the point of view of a typology of the manuscript tradition.
Part C (20 hours, 3 ects): French and Occitan: a comparative approach
We will look at the texts we studied in parts A and B in order to highlight the main features of Old French and Occitan. We will look at the Italian, Occitan and French texts in order to study the relationships between spelling and pronunciation in the Romance scriptae.
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:
1) An anthology of the texts to be read and translated will be made available on the Ariel 2.0 website of the course.
2) The following chapters of La lirica italiana. Un lessico fondamentale, a c. di L. Geri, M. Grimaldi e N. Maldina, Carocci 2021: Città (pp. 25-34), Corte (pp. 45-54), Forme poetiche (pp. 89-102), Geografia (pp. 103-118), Modelli romanzi (pp. 175-184), Musica (pp. 201-212), Tradizione (pp. 273-288).
The following chapters can be read for further (optional) information: Lingua (pp. 133-148), Modelli biblici (pp. 149-164), Modelli latini (pp. 165-174), Retorica (pp. 245-260).
3) The following articles:
1. Roberto Antonelli, La scuola poetica alla corte di Federico II, in Federico II e le scienze, a c. di Pierre Toubert e Agostino Paravicini Bagliani, Palermo, Sellerio, 1994, 309-323.
2. Rosario Coluccia, La scuola poetica siciliana tra limiti cronologici e dislocazioni territoriali, in «Contributi di filologia dell'Italia mediana», 14 (2000), pp. 25-45.
3. Lino Leonardi, Due rilievi per un atlante lirico italiano (secoli XIII-XIV), in «Critica del Testo», VII/1 (2004), pp. 447-461.
4. Marco Berisso, Centri di produzione, generi, autori: rileggere le mappe della poesia italiana antica, in La letteratura degli italiani: centri e periferie, Atti del XIII congresso dell'Associazione degli italianisti italiani (ADI), Pugnochiuso (Foggia), 16-19 settembre 2009, a c. di D. Cofano e S. Valerio, Foggia, Edizioni del Rosone, 2011, pp. 7-33.
4) Textual criticism:
1. C. Segre, Testo, in Id., Avviamento all'analisi del testo letterario, Torino, Einaudi, pp. 360-391.
2. One of the following handbooks:
a) P. Beltrami, A che serve un'edizione critica? Leggere i testi della letteratura romanza medievale, Bologna, il Mulino, 2010 (or any subsequent edition).
b) L. Leonardi, Filologia romanza. 1. Critica del testo, Firenze, Le Monnier, 2022.
Parte C:
French and Occitan will be compared, but each student will have to focus on one language of her/his choice on either one of the these handbooks:
1) A. Varvaro, Avviamento alla filologia francese medievale, Roma, Carocci, 2021 (vanno bene anche le edizioni precedenti), pp. 13-84
2) C. Di Girolamo, C. Lee, Avviamento alla filologia provenzale, Roma, Carocci, 2021 (vanno bene anche le edizioni precedenti), pp. 11-97
Each handbook features a choice of texts and a glossary that will have to be used to prepare a short paper: 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, or to ask the teacher for a specific bibliography for this part.
1) An anthology of the texts to be read and translated will be made available on the Ariel 2.0 website of the course.
2) The following chapters of La lirica italiana. Un lessico fondamentale, a c. di L. Geri, M. Grimaldi e N. Maldina, Carocci 2021: Città (pp. 25-34), Corte (pp. 45-54), Forme poetiche (pp. 89-102), Geografia (pp. 103-118), Modelli romanzi (pp. 175-184), Musica (pp. 201-212), Tradizione (pp. 273-288).
The following chapters can be read for further (optional) information: Lingua (pp. 133-148), Modelli biblici (pp. 149-164), Modelli latini (pp. 165-174), Retorica (pp. 245-260).
3) The following articles:
1. Roberto Antonelli, La scuola poetica alla corte di Federico II, in Federico II e le scienze, a c. di Pierre Toubert e Agostino Paravicini Bagliani, Palermo, Sellerio, 1994, 309-323.
2. Rosario Coluccia, La scuola poetica siciliana tra limiti cronologici e dislocazioni territoriali, in «Contributi di filologia dell'Italia mediana», 14 (2000), pp. 25-45.
3. Lino Leonardi, Due rilievi per un atlante lirico italiano (secoli XIII-XIV), in «Critica del Testo», VII/1 (2004), pp. 447-461.
4. Marco Berisso, Centri di produzione, generi, autori: rileggere le mappe della poesia italiana antica, in La letteratura degli italiani: centri e periferie, Atti del XIII congresso dell'Associazione degli italianisti italiani (ADI), Pugnochiuso (Foggia), 16-19 settembre 2009, a c. di D. Cofano e S. Valerio, Foggia, Edizioni del Rosone, 2011, pp. 7-33.
4) Textual criticism:
1. C. Segre, Testo, in Id., Avviamento all'analisi del testo letterario, Torino, Einaudi, pp. 360-391.
2. One of the following handbooks:
a) P. Beltrami, A che serve un'edizione critica? Leggere i testi della letteratura romanza medievale, Bologna, il Mulino, 2010 (or any subsequent edition).
b) L. Leonardi, Filologia romanza. 1. Critica del testo, Firenze, Le Monnier, 2022.
Parte C:
French and Occitan will be compared, but each student will have to focus on one language of her/his choice on either one of the these handbooks:
1) A. Varvaro, Avviamento alla filologia francese medievale, Roma, Carocci, 2021 (vanno bene anche le edizioni precedenti), pp. 13-84
2) C. Di Girolamo, C. Lee, Avviamento alla filologia provenzale, Roma, Carocci, 2021 (vanno bene anche le edizioni precedenti), pp. 11-97
Each handbook features a choice of texts and a glossary that will have to be used to prepare a short paper: 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, or to ask the teacher for a specific bibliography for this part.
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.
International or incoming Erasmus students 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.
International or incoming Erasmus students 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.
L-FIL-LET/09 - ROMANCE PHILOLOGY AND LINGUISTICS - University credits: 9
Lessons: 60 hours
Professor:
Gaggero Massimiliano
Professor(s)