Chinese Language and Translation I
A.Y. 2026/2027
Learning objectives
The course aims to develop students' skills in contemporary written and spoken Chinese, building on their prior knowledge of Chinese grammar, syntax and lexicon to help them achieve a strong command of the language. It also seeks to strengthen translation, communication, and text production skills, particularly as regard texts for traditional and online media.
Expected learning outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be able to smoothly read, listen to and understand media texts in Chinese. They will master the specialised vocabulary used in Chinese media, especially regarding inclusion and corporate topics, and will be able to apply mediation strategies when reworking texts for different media platforms. At the end of the course, students are expected to achieve B2 proficiency in Chinese (HSK Level 4).
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 aims to strengthen comprehension and production skills in written and spoken Chinese, focusing not only on translation skills but also on the linguistic and communicative competences on which they are based, with particular emphasis on professional contexts.
Specifically, Units 1-4 of the compulsory textbook will be covered.
During the classes, students will have the opportunity to learn and use key expressions from different linguistic registers and suited to a variety of workplace contexts. Grammatical structures will also be explored in greater depth, and analytical skills will be enhanced through the examination of authentic texts.
The 80 hours of classroom teaching will be supplemented by practice sessions led by a native-speaker tutor. Active participation in all scheduled activities is considered an integral part of the learning process.
Information, updates on events and teaching activities, as well as course materials, will be made available promptly on the ARIEL platform.
Specifically, Units 1-4 of the compulsory textbook will be covered.
During the classes, students will have the opportunity to learn and use key expressions from different linguistic registers and suited to a variety of workplace contexts. Grammatical structures will also be explored in greater depth, and analytical skills will be enhanced through the examination of authentic texts.
The 80 hours of classroom teaching will be supplemented by practice sessions led by a native-speaker tutor. Active participation in all scheduled activities is considered an integral part of the learning process.
Information, updates on events and teaching activities, as well as course materials, will be made available promptly on the ARIEL platform.
Prerequisites for admission
Students should be able to read and translate Chinese texts, to express themselves through articulated conversations and to translate sentences from Italian to Chinese. The course requires kowledge and abilities equivalent to an HSK3 (B1) level.
Teaching methods
The course combines lectures with interactive activities in a balanced and integrated format. Students are expected to participate actively through individual and group exercises, in-class discussions, and collaborative tasks. Considerable attention will be given to dialogue and critical exchange among all participants.
To enhance critical thinking and communication skills, individual and group presentations on selected texts will be scheduled in coordination with the instructor.
Guest lectures and seminars held within the course framework will support the development of specific competencies and offer opportunities to reflect on the broader Chinese linguistic and cultural context.
To enhance critical thinking and communication skills, individual and group presentations on selected texts will be scheduled in coordination with the instructor.
Guest lectures and seminars held within the course framework will support the development of specific competencies and offer opportunities to reflect on the broader Chinese linguistic and cultural context.
Teaching Resources
Compulsory textbook:
Paternicò, Luisa M., Tiziana Lioi, Xiaomo Ma, and Serena Di Fusco. Il cinese per il lavoro. Manuale pratico di cinese avanzato per un uso professionale della lingua. Milan: Hoepli, 2024.
Recommended textbook:
Masini, Federico, Chiara Romagnoli, Tongbing Zhang, and Yafang Chang. Comunicare in cinese. Volume 3. Milan: Hoepli, 2023.
Additional materials provided by the instructors on the Ariel platform.
Paternicò, Luisa M., Tiziana Lioi, Xiaomo Ma, and Serena Di Fusco. Il cinese per il lavoro. Manuale pratico di cinese avanzato per un uso professionale della lingua. Milan: Hoepli, 2024.
Recommended textbook:
Masini, Federico, Chiara Romagnoli, Tongbing Zhang, and Yafang Chang. Comunicare in cinese. Volume 3. Milan: Hoepli, 2023.
Additional materials provided by the instructors on the Ariel platform.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The exam consists of a written test and an oral test, both of which are compulsory.
The final grade will be determined by the average of the results obtained in the two tests.
Written test for Italian students and Chinese students who earned their degree in Italy
The written test consists of practical exercises with methods, content, and level of difficulty similar to those found in the adopted textbooks.
Oral test for Italian students and Chinese students who earned their degree in Italy
The oral test will be divided into two parts:
· First part, with the native-speaker instructor: the candidate will be required to hold a conversation in the language on agreed topics and answer questions relating to the content covered during the course.
· Second part, with the Italian instructor: the candidate will be asked to discuss the written test and/or complete some exercises taken from the textbook.
For native Chinese-speaking students who did not earn their undergraduate degree in Italy, the written test consists of:
· translation from Chinese into Italian of a passage taken from the textbooks;
· translation from Italian into Chinese of an excerpt similar, in terms of level and content, to the texts included in the compulsory textbook.
Oral discussion for Chinese students who did not earn their degree in Italy
For these students, the oral test consists exclusively of an interview with the Italian instructor. The candidate will be asked to:
· translate into Italian some passages taken from the adopted texts, answering questions in Italian about the content;
· where applicable, translate into Chinese similar passages taken from the same texts;
· analyse the syntactic structure and explain the grammatical features of selected excerpts.
Participation in the group work and the related output will form an integral part of the final assessment. Students who do not take part in the group work will be required to sit a longer written test.
The procedures for both the written and oral tests are the same for attending and non-attending students.
The final grade will be determined by the average of the results obtained in the two tests.
Written test for Italian students and Chinese students who earned their degree in Italy
The written test consists of practical exercises with methods, content, and level of difficulty similar to those found in the adopted textbooks.
Oral test for Italian students and Chinese students who earned their degree in Italy
The oral test will be divided into two parts:
· First part, with the native-speaker instructor: the candidate will be required to hold a conversation in the language on agreed topics and answer questions relating to the content covered during the course.
· Second part, with the Italian instructor: the candidate will be asked to discuss the written test and/or complete some exercises taken from the textbook.
For native Chinese-speaking students who did not earn their undergraduate degree in Italy, the written test consists of:
· translation from Chinese into Italian of a passage taken from the textbooks;
· translation from Italian into Chinese of an excerpt similar, in terms of level and content, to the texts included in the compulsory textbook.
Oral discussion for Chinese students who did not earn their degree in Italy
For these students, the oral test consists exclusively of an interview with the Italian instructor. The candidate will be asked to:
· translate into Italian some passages taken from the adopted texts, answering questions in Italian about the content;
· where applicable, translate into Chinese similar passages taken from the same texts;
· analyse the syntactic structure and explain the grammatical features of selected excerpts.
Participation in the group work and the related output will form an integral part of the final assessment. Students who do not take part in the group work will be required to sit a longer written test.
The procedures for both the written and oral tests are the same for attending and non-attending students.
ASIA-01/F - Languages and Literatures of China and South-Eastern Asia - University credits: 12
Lessons: 80 hours
Professors:
Arcodia Giorgio Francesco, Gallo Simona
Professor(s)