LINGUAGGI SETTORIALI E TRADUZIONE ANGLOAMERICANA

The course will focus on the grammatical, phonetic, and lexical aspects of American English, with attention to its regional variations, as well as to its distinctions from British English. Part of the course will focus on reading, comprehension and critical discussion of selected texts, and translation work from and to American English will be deeply encouraged, especially with regard to specialized languages of the contemporary American context. The course will aim at the acquisition of B2/C1 levels.

knowledge and understanding:

During the course the students of Anglo-American language will deepen their understanding of textual analysis, through a close reading practice of essays, articles and book excerpts. They will develop a strong understanding and a capability to decode key concepts throughout the various topographies of the texts.

applying knowledge and understanding:

The students will be able to work, in groups or individually, on the issues arising from the texts, both during pre-reading activities and during the critical survey of the material analyzed in the classroom. Students will be actively involved in describing actions, formulate hypotheses, list situations - relate to the content of the texts - by enriching the range of analytical and critical hints with their personal reflections.

making judgement:

Guided by the material and the methodological tools through the discussion phase, the students will be enabled activate autonomous capabilities for working on writing assignments or translations.

communication skills:

Through the successful completion of tests and exams and the final degree, they will be able to express, in a complex and articulate way their thoughts, their projects and the results of their study courses.

learning skills:

In the course, students will be also involved in a frequent writing and translation practice. The skills thus acquired aim at establishing language control in events of social interaction in English, and both in cultural and professional contexts; by using the skills acquired through lectures, tutorials, seminars and laboratory work, the students of Anglo-American language will easily interact with Italian and foreign partners, modulating their linguistic intervention according to different contexts.

Third year language major students should start out at a low C1 level in all four of the language skills (reading, writing, speaking and listening), and work towards a higher C1 level by the end of the academic year. The third year program targets ESP and the course will concentrate on and reinforce the students’ reading and writing skills, with an initial focus on the study of TRANSLATION THEORIES and on TRANSLATION PRACTICE from American English into Italian (practice texts will include POETRY, FICTION AND ESSAYS). Main formative goals will also include WRITING PRACTICE - academic essay writing - guided by the use of the workbook text indicated below. Specialist topics will include : U.S. IMMIGRATION, MULTICULTURALISM, DIASPORA CULTURES , POSTCOLONIALISM AND GLOBALIZATION. This reinforcement for most of the language skills should, by exam time, help the students achieve a higher C1 level.

Translation Theory :

1. Lawrence Venuti, “The Translation Studies Reader” , Bundle, Nottingham Univ. Press, 2000.

2. Susan Bassnett, "Translation Studies" London/New York, Routledge, 2002.

In-class Translation Practice : English- Italian translation of texts by Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, Raymond Carver, Audre Lord, Alice Walker, Toni Morrison, Gloria Anzaldúa, etc.

3. Dictionary: Merriam Webster (online version); Roget’s Thesaurus (online version);

Wordreference (www.wordreference.com).

Writing Practice:

4. Trudy Smoke, " A Writer's Workbook. A Writing Text with Readings", Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2005.

Readings and related Writing practice:

Unit I,"Language", Destination: College, U.S.A., How to be a Successful Language Learner, The Education of Berenice Belizaire.

Unit II, "Culture" , Cultural Identity vs. Ethnic Fashion, A Global Analysis of Culture, The All-Americn Slurp.

Unit III, "Work", Age and Youth, Job Satisfaction, Village is more Global, Language is more Vital.

Unit IV, "Roots", Back but not Home, Legacies, The Man to Send Rain Clouds.

In-Classroom Writing Practice - Academic Composition Practice: Summary Writing/Paraphrasing, Persuasive Essay, Contrast/ Comparative Essay, Personal Essay, Narrative Writing.