Spanish Language and Translation I
A.Y. 2025/2026
Learning objectives
The course is aimed at deepening students' knowledge of Spanish through the analysis of written and oral discourse, with a view to preparing them to work in the field of international communication and mediation. The goal is to enhance students' critical reading and metalinguistic skills. The course consists in a theoretical part and a practical part, the latter focusing on the critical reading of argumentative texts and the development of students' oral production skills. Moreover, the course will promote the use of tools for the analysis of linguistic corpora, as well as an informed use of generative AI for communication. Lastly, it will provide competencies in the field of specialised translation.
Expected learning outcomes
By the end of the course, students should demonstrate a good oral and written command of the Spanish language in complex situations (level C1+). In particular, they will be able to recognise and analyse the syntactic and lexical structures of a non-fiction text, discuss specialised topics, and effectively express their opinions on the themes studied. Lastly, they will develop translation skills, including in the field of specialised translation.
Lesson period: year
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
year
Course syllabus
The course includes the following thematic units:
Unit 1 "Argumentation and persuasion" (20 hours, first semester, prof. Mapelli)
Argumentation and persuasion. Argumentative structures. Irony. Evalution Theory. Polyphony. Argumentative written and oral texts (e.g. debate and interview).
Some aspects related to the elaboration of academic texts will also be addressed.
Unit 2 "El columnismo español" (20 ore, I semestre, prof. Guerra)
Several opinion genres from the contemporary Spanish-speaking world will be analysed from an argumentative point of view.
Unit 3 Introduction to corpus linguistics (20 hours, II semester, prof. Mapelli)
The main concepts related to corpus linguistics will be presented, corpus of spanish will be explored and the programme Sketch Engine will be used to analyse small corpora created by the students.
Unit 4: "Translation in the tourism sector" (20 hours, II semester, Prof. Calvi)
Main theoretical concepts and strategies to be applied to the translation of informative and promotional tourism texts. Issues relating to the translation of cultural terms, place names and multilingual texts. Discussion of practical examples of translated texts. IT and documentary tools for translators, translation programmes and online resources.
For up-to-date information on the organisation of the courses and the activities proposed, students are invited to regularly consult MyAriel. In MyAriel students can find materials related to the courses, bibliographical information and other news of interest.
For further information students are advised to attend professor's office hours.
EXERCISE CLASSES
The exercise classes aim to consolidate the acquisition of grammatical structures and to strengthen oral practice, also in specialist contexts.
Unit 1 "Argumentation and persuasion" (20 hours, first semester, prof. Mapelli)
Argumentation and persuasion. Argumentative structures. Irony. Evalution Theory. Polyphony. Argumentative written and oral texts (e.g. debate and interview).
Some aspects related to the elaboration of academic texts will also be addressed.
Unit 2 "El columnismo español" (20 ore, I semestre, prof. Guerra)
Several opinion genres from the contemporary Spanish-speaking world will be analysed from an argumentative point of view.
Unit 3 Introduction to corpus linguistics (20 hours, II semester, prof. Mapelli)
The main concepts related to corpus linguistics will be presented, corpus of spanish will be explored and the programme Sketch Engine will be used to analyse small corpora created by the students.
Unit 4: "Translation in the tourism sector" (20 hours, II semester, Prof. Calvi)
Main theoretical concepts and strategies to be applied to the translation of informative and promotional tourism texts. Issues relating to the translation of cultural terms, place names and multilingual texts. Discussion of practical examples of translated texts. IT and documentary tools for translators, translation programmes and online resources.
For up-to-date information on the organisation of the courses and the activities proposed, students are invited to regularly consult MyAriel. In MyAriel students can find materials related to the courses, bibliographical information and other news of interest.
For further information students are advised to attend professor's office hours.
EXERCISE CLASSES
The exercise classes aim to consolidate the acquisition of grammatical structures and to strengthen oral practice, also in specialist contexts.
Prerequisites for admission
The course is aimed at students who have a Spanish language proficiency at least equal to level B2 plus (preferably C1) of the European Framework.
Teaching methods
Lectures, language exercise lessons, team work.
PLEASE NOTE THAT LESSONS WILL NOT BE RECORDED
PLEASE NOTE THAT LESSONS WILL NOT BE RECORDED
Teaching Resources
- Lecture materials published on Myariel for Unit 1-2-3
Unit 1:
- ESCRIBANO, A., Las voces del texto como recurso persuasivo, Arco/Libros, Madrid, 2009.
- FUENTES RODRÍGUEZ, C. / ALCAIDE LARA, E. R., La argumentación lingüística y sus medios de expresión, Arco/Libros, Madrid 2007.
- REGUEIRO RODRIGUEZ / SAEZ RIVERA, El español académico. Guía práctica para la elaboración de textos académicos, Madrid, Arco/Libros, 2013.
-DE SANTIAGO GUERVóS, J., "Discurso y persuasión", Ariel, Madrid, 2024 (selección de cap.)
Unit 2
CANTAVELLA, J., SERRANO, J.F. (coords.), "Redacción para periodistas: opinar y argumentar", Universitas, 2007 (selección de cap.)
Unit 3
Directions will be given at the beginning of the course
Unit 4
Selected readings that will be made available on MyAriel
EXERCISE LANGUAGE LESSONS
Adopted texts:
C. SORIANO, A. MARTINEZ LARA, A. PASTOR, C. SOLER MONTES, Aula C1, Difusión, 2022
ODICINO, R. / CAMPOS, C. / DI VINCENZO, D., Ejercicios de gramática española para italófonos. Niveles A1-C2, UTET, 2021, 2ª ed.
OTHER REFERENCE TEXTS
LOZANO ZAHONERO, M., Gramática de perfeccionamiento de la lengua española, Hoepli, Milano 2011.
RECOMMENDED DICTIONARIES
MOLINER, M., Diccionario de uso del español, Gredos, Madrid (ult. ed.).
VOX, Diccionario general lengua española, Bibliograf, Barcelona (ult. ed.).
ROSSEND ARQUES, ADRIANA PADOAN, Il Grande dizionario di Spagnolo. Dizionario Spagnolo-Italiano Italiano-Español, Zanichelli (ult. ed.)
Unit 1:
- ESCRIBANO, A., Las voces del texto como recurso persuasivo, Arco/Libros, Madrid, 2009.
- FUENTES RODRÍGUEZ, C. / ALCAIDE LARA, E. R., La argumentación lingüística y sus medios de expresión, Arco/Libros, Madrid 2007.
- REGUEIRO RODRIGUEZ / SAEZ RIVERA, El español académico. Guía práctica para la elaboración de textos académicos, Madrid, Arco/Libros, 2013.
-DE SANTIAGO GUERVóS, J., "Discurso y persuasión", Ariel, Madrid, 2024 (selección de cap.)
Unit 2
CANTAVELLA, J., SERRANO, J.F. (coords.), "Redacción para periodistas: opinar y argumentar", Universitas, 2007 (selección de cap.)
Unit 3
Directions will be given at the beginning of the course
Unit 4
Selected readings that will be made available on MyAriel
EXERCISE LANGUAGE LESSONS
Adopted texts:
C. SORIANO, A. MARTINEZ LARA, A. PASTOR, C. SOLER MONTES, Aula C1, Difusión, 2022
ODICINO, R. / CAMPOS, C. / DI VINCENZO, D., Ejercicios de gramática española para italófonos. Niveles A1-C2, UTET, 2021, 2ª ed.
OTHER REFERENCE TEXTS
LOZANO ZAHONERO, M., Gramática de perfeccionamiento de la lengua española, Hoepli, Milano 2011.
RECOMMENDED DICTIONARIES
MOLINER, M., Diccionario de uso del español, Gredos, Madrid (ult. ed.).
VOX, Diccionario general lengua española, Bibliograf, Barcelona (ult. ed.).
ROSSEND ARQUES, ADRIANA PADOAN, Il Grande dizionario di Spagnolo. Dizionario Spagnolo-Italiano Italiano-Español, Zanichelli (ult. ed.)
Assessment methods and Criteria
The exam includes a series of written and oral tests and an interview on the topics of the official course, which will take place as follows:
WRITTEN EXAMINATION: it takes place three times a year (May, September, January) and includes the following test:
- Test of grammar and lexical competence, to be carried out without dictionary. It includes questions of various types (multiple-choice questions, cloze-type exercises, transformation of direct speech into indirect), aimed at ascertaining knowledge of idiomatic forms (90 minutes)
ORAL EXAM: takes place six times a year and includes an interview on the topics of the official course, aimed at verifying the acquisition of the contents and the ability to reflect metalinguistically, as well as grammatical correctness and language property. You will also be asked to prepare an essay on the topics covered in Unit 2 and 3.
Unit 4: The assessment will be based on an individual translation assignment with commentary, to be agreed upon during the course.
IMPORTANT WARNINGS
- Students attending the exams will be able to take part of the exams during the year, according to modalities that will be indicated in class.
- The written tests are preparatory to the oral ones and marks are valid for one year.
- The validity of interim tests, as of all written tests, is specified when the results are published.
- Registering of the final marks can be made only at the oral tests, after enrollment.
- To take the exams, both written and oral, it is essential to be enrolled.
- Enrolled students who decide not to take the exam, are kindly requested to unsuscribe in order to allow a better organization of the exam.
- The examination procedures are the same for all students. Non-attendants students are advised to attend professor's office hours at least once a year.
WRITTEN EXAMINATION: it takes place three times a year (May, September, January) and includes the following test:
- Test of grammar and lexical competence, to be carried out without dictionary. It includes questions of various types (multiple-choice questions, cloze-type exercises, transformation of direct speech into indirect), aimed at ascertaining knowledge of idiomatic forms (90 minutes)
ORAL EXAM: takes place six times a year and includes an interview on the topics of the official course, aimed at verifying the acquisition of the contents and the ability to reflect metalinguistically, as well as grammatical correctness and language property. You will also be asked to prepare an essay on the topics covered in Unit 2 and 3.
Unit 4: The assessment will be based on an individual translation assignment with commentary, to be agreed upon during the course.
IMPORTANT WARNINGS
- Students attending the exams will be able to take part of the exams during the year, according to modalities that will be indicated in class.
- The written tests are preparatory to the oral ones and marks are valid for one year.
- The validity of interim tests, as of all written tests, is specified when the results are published.
- Registering of the final marks can be made only at the oral tests, after enrollment.
- To take the exams, both written and oral, it is essential to be enrolled.
- Enrolled students who decide not to take the exam, are kindly requested to unsuscribe in order to allow a better organization of the exam.
- The examination procedures are the same for all students. Non-attendants students are advised to attend professor's office hours at least once a year.
L-LIN/07 - LANGUAGE AND TRANSLATION - SPANISH - University credits: 12
Lessons: 80 hours
Professors:
Calvi Maria Vittoria Elena, Mapelli Giovanna Maria
Educational website(s)
Professor(s)
Reception:
Only by e-mail or skype. In case of changes a notice will be put on this page.
Polo di Mediazione, P.zza I. Montanelli, 1, Sesto San Giovanni - Office 4010