SCIENZE UMANISTICHEScience of Language for interculture and educationAcademic Year 2022/2023

9793910 - LINGUA INGLESE

Teacher: MASSIMO STURIALE

Expected Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the course, students will reach C1+ level. On successful completion of this course a student will be able to:


1) communicate fluently, accurately and appropriately in the target language;
2) use language flexibly and effectively for academic and professional purposes and produce clear, well-structured, detailed text and oral presentations on complex subjects;

3) review, evaluate and process information from a variety of sources (newspapers, audiovisual and electronic sources);

4) work autonomously, evidenced by self-direction, self-discipline, and time management.

Course Structure

Lectures, seminars, students' presentations, progress tests.

Detailed Course Content

“Language in Use and Oral Presentation Skills” (3 CFU)/ “Language, Ideology, Media and Change (6 CFU)

Textbook Information

“Language in Use and Oral Presentation Skills” (3 CFU):

E. de Chazal & Julie Moore, Oxford EAP. A Course in English for Academic Purposes. Advanced/C1, Oxford, Oxford University Press.

“Language, Ideology, Media and Change (6 CFU)

Agha, Asif, 2007, Language and Social Relations, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press (selected chapters);

Coupland, Nikolas, 2010, "Language, Ideology, Media and Social Change", SPELL : Swiss papers in English language and literature, 24, pp. 127-151.

Leitner, Gerhard, 1982, “The Consolidation of ‘Educated Southern English’ as a Model in the Early 20th Century”, IRAL, 20/2, pp. 91-107.

Milroy, James /Lesley Milroy, 2002, Authority in Language. Investigating Language Prescription and Standardisation, 4th edn., London and New York, Routledge, (selected chapters);

Mugglestone, Lynda, 2015, “Accent as a Social Symbol”, in M. Reed and J. M. Levis (eds), The Handbook of English Pronunciation, Chistester, Wiley, pp. 19-35.

Mugglestone, Lynda, 2008, “Spoken English and the BBC: In the Beginning”, AAA: Arbeiten aus Anglistik und Amerikanistik, 33/2, pp. 197-216.

Schwyter, Jurg R., Dictating to the Mob. The History of the BBC Advisory Committee on Spoken English, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2016 (selected chapters).


Sturiale, Massimo, 2018, “Late Modern Newspapers as a Mirror of Linguistic (In)Stability and Change”, Token: A Journal of English Linguistics, 7, pp. 35-51.

Please remember that in compliance with art 171 L22.04.1941, n. 633 and its amendments, it is illegal to copy entire books or journals, only 15% of their content can be copied.

For further information on sanctions and regulations concerning photocopying please refer to the regulations on copyright (Linee Guida sulla Gestione dei Diritti d’Autore) provided by AIDRO - Associazione Italiana per i Diritti di Riproduzione delle opere dell’ingegno (the Italian Association on Copyright).

All the books listed in the programme can be consulted in the Library.

Course Planning

 SubjectsText References
1Lezione # 2 (3-5 ottobre 2022): Presentazione corso: “Language in Use and Oral Presentation Skills” (3 CFU)/ ““Language, Ideology, Media and Change” (6 CFU); The standardising process; Beal, Joan C., 2016, “Standardization”, in M. Kytö and P. Pahta (eds), The Cambridge Handbook of English Historical Linguistics, CUP, pp. 301-317. E. Haugen, 1966, “Dialect, Language, Nation”, American Anthropologist, 68, pp. 922-935. [see Studium]
2Lezione # 2 (10 e 12 ottobre 2022): The ideology of the standard languageMilroy, James /Lesley Milroy, 2002, Authority in Language. Investigating Language Prescription and Standardisation, 4th edn., London and New York, Routledge, (capitoli scelti)
3Lezione # 3 (24-26 ottobre 2022): The social uses of language: 18th-century pronouncing dictionariesFurther readings Week 3: Milroy, James, 2001, “Language Ideologies and the Consequences of Standardization”, Journal of Sociolinguistics, 5/4, pp. 530-555. [see Studium]
4Lezione # 4 (7 e 9 novembre 2022): Language attitudesAgha, Asif, 2007, Language and Social Relations, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press (capitoli scelti);
5Settimana # 5 (14 e 16 novembre 2022): ''Language and Social Relations'': The ‘remodelling’ of Received Pronunciation; Language standards: Vocabulary.Further readings Week 3: Beal, Joan C., 2009, “Pronouncing Dictionaries – I. Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries”, in A. P. Cowie (ed.), The Oxford History of English Lexicography. Vol. II. Oxford: Clarendon, pp. 149-175. [see Studium]
6Lezione # 6 (21 e 23 novembre 2022): Authority in Language and Language AttitudesWeek 4: B. Collins, and I. M. Mees, 2009, “Pronouncing Dictionaries _ Mid-Nineteenth Century to the Present Day”, pp. 176-218 2012, Sturiale “No bot’le No party: T-glottaling and pronouncing dictionaries”, 2012 [see Studium]
7Lezione # 7 (28 e 30 novembre 2022): Authority in Language and Language Attitudes
8Lezione # 8 (5 e 7 dicembre 2022): ''Language and Social Relations'': The ‘remodelling’ of Received Pronunciation; Language standards: Vocabulary.
9Lezione # 9 (TBC): The Social Construction of Standard EnglishSchwyter, Jurg R., Dictating to the Mob. The History of the BBC Advisory Committee on Spoken English, 2016
10Lezione #10 (TBC): Labelling English pronunciation. Received pronunciation: shibbolets/vulgarisms and language changeSchwyter, Jurg R., Dictating to the Mob. The History of the BBC Advisory Committee on Spoken English, 2016
11Lezione #11 (TBC): Labelling English pronunciation. Received pronunciation: shibbolets/vulgarisms and language change
12Lezione #12: (TBC): Language Attitudes and The New MediaThe influence of the Media
13Lezione #13: (TBC): Language Attitudes and The New Media
14Lezione # 14: (TBC): Accommodation Theory
15Lezione # 15: (TBC): Received Pronunciation ... in Literature
16Lezione # 16 (TBC): Received Pronunciation and the BBC Advisory Committee on Spoken English
17Lezione #17 (TBC): Early Twentieth-Century Pedagogical Prescriptivism: The BBC and the Press
18Lezione # 18 (TBC): Early Twentieth-Century Pedagogical Prescriptivism: The BBC and the Press
19Lezione # 19 (TBA): Academic genre Network. The making of abstract
20Lezione # 20 (TBA) : Results driven abstracts; Writing a research proposal;
21Lezione # 21 (TBA): Planning an Introduction, Planning a Presentation (main parts)
22Lezione # 22 (TBA) Oral presentation: The methodology section. Data discussion
23Lezione # 23 (TBA): Oral Presentation (Concluding remarks)
24Lezione # 24 (TBA): Students' presesentations
25Lezione # 25 (TBA): Students' presentations
26Lezione # 26 (TBA): Students' presentations
27Lezione # 27 (TBA): Written Mock exam

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