GL/LIN 2515 6.00 A Journey into the World of the Italian Language

This course introduces students to the contemporary perspectives of the Italian language and includes a practical component in Italy. Through this, students can explore the historical, social, and political aspects that have contributed to the formation of modern-day Italian.

In this course, students will engage in interactive lectures to explore and discuss the structure of contemporary Italian language. Additionally, the Italian component of the course will delve into the historical, social, and political aspects that have contributed to the formation of modern-day Italian. Moreover, the course aims to provide students with a comprehensive overview of how languages organize their grammar, how this grammar is applied in everyday contexts, and how history, society, and government policies shape human language.

• Immersive Learning: Experience a unique blend of classroom learning in Toronto and practical application in Italy, allowing for a comprehensive understanding of Italian language and culture.
• Contemporary Perspectives: Gain insight into contemporary perspectives of the Italian language, with a focus on its structure and usage in modern-day contexts.
• Historical Exploration: Explore the rich history of Italy and its impact on the formation of the modern Italian language. Walk in the footsteps of history to understand its influence on the language's development.
• Social and Political Context: Delve into the social and political factors that have shaped Italian society and language. Understand how historical events and government policies continue to influence language usage today.
• Interactive Lectures: Engage in interactive lectures that encourage discussion and exploration of the structure of contemporary Italian. Participate in group activities and discussions to enhance your understanding.
• Language Grammar: Develop a deep understanding of how languages organize their grammar, with a specific focus on Italian.
• Cultural Immersion: Immerse yourself in the rich cultural heritage of Pisa during the three-week component of the course. Experience Italian daily life, traditions, and cuisine.
• Field Trips: Enhance your learning experience with field trips to significant historical and cultural sites in Pisa and its surroundings. Visit museums, historical landmarks, and local communities to apply your knowledge.
• Global Perspective: Gain a global perspective on language and culture by comparing and contrasting Italian with your own language. Develop a broader understanding of the linguistic and cultural diversity in the world.
• Networking Opportunities: Connect with fellow students and build a network of international contacts, fostering cross-cultural understanding and friendships.
• Experiential Learning: Embrace experiential learning as you explore Italy, allowing you to apply your knowledge in real contexts and make connections between what you learn in the classroom and its practical use.

• Attend the virtual Information Session on November 2nd @ 11:30am.
  Registration Link: https://yorku.zoom.us/j/92569203074?pwd=Wm5aRVR4b3VnaTNoZEhxcytHQkRkdz09
• Deadline for application: January 12th, 2024
• Application Form: https://yorku.moveonca.com/form/647734baa5554f5f9b03ff65/eng

• Includes:
  • Accommodation
  • Excursions/Field activities
• Not Included:
  • Airfare to and from Italy
  • Tuition fee (payable to York University)
  • Any personal expenses including meals
  • guard.me® insurance

*Subject to change, program fees will depend on the final number of participants

To secure a spot in this course, you'll need to submit a non-refundable deposit of $500 to York International. Contact Sharon Sammy (ssammy@yorku.ca) for payment procedures.

• Deposit ($500) - Deadline: January 12th
• Outstanding program fee: March 15th

PLEASE NOTE: We only accept Visa, Mastercard, and debit. No cash or cheques.

All eligible participants of this course will receive the York International Mobility Award (YIMA) upon completion of the Pre-Departure Training and Travel Risk Requirements. No application is needed.

Open to non-majors by permission of the course director, Professor Jerzy Kowal. Please contact Shirley Lam (yuabroad@yorku.ca) to express your interest. Please note that your spot is only secured after payment of deposit.

Attending a Pre-Departure Session is mandatory for all YorkU students participating in the GL/LIN 2515 6.00 A Journey into the World of the Italian Language. York International provides pre-departure training to York students who are scheduled to participate in global learning programs (exchange, internships and other short-term programs).

Content covered at Pre-Departure Sessions include:

1. Travel preparations (research about destination, flight, accommodation arrangements)
2. Risk Management (waiver, emergency contact card, Registration of Canadians abroad)
3. guard.me® Insurance
4. Funding and Finances
5. Inter-cultural awareness

York Students traveling abroad for international programs are required to purchase guard.me® insurance. To ensure safety and well-being of York students traveling abroad, York University has developed a partnership with guard.me® Insurance. It provides comprehensive insurance coverage and benefits that are in the best interest of the students and the university at-large. Guard.me® covers medical, emergency, evacuation, and 3rd party liability, among others. Please read the guard.me® benefit summary for more information. Students must register directly with guard.me®.

More information on registration will be outlined in the link below.
http://yorkinternational.yorku.ca/go-global/pre-departure-training-and-risk-management/

Download course outline (.pdf)

Academic Year 2024-2025 Linguistics and Language Studies Program
www.glendon.yorku.ca Collège universitaire Glendon, York University

GL/LIN 2515 6.00
A Journey into the World of the Italian Language

Instructor: Dr. Jerzy KOWAL
Email: jkowal@glendon.yorku.ca
Office hours: To be announced
Course offered in English

Course meets: To be announced
Classroom: To be announced
Course website: eclass.yorku.ca
Prerequisite: none

CAS: Open to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd year students
LIN students: This course counts towards Category VII in your Linguistics Program

Course description:
This course offers a contemporary view of Italian, possibly with a study component in Italy. Students explore language structure and delve into historical, social, and political factors that have shaped modern Italian.

Additional information about the course:
This course offers students the opportunity to participate in engaging, interactive lectures focused on the structure of contemporary Italian language. Furthermore, the Italian segment of the course will delve into the historical, social, and political factors that have played a significant role in shaping modern-day Italian. Additionally, the course's objective is to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of how languages structure their grammar, how this grammar is applied in real-world contexts, and how history, society, and government policies influence human language.

Learning outcomes:
By the conclusion of this course, students will possess the capability to:

1. recognize, describe, and elucidate the phonetic, phonological, morphological, and syntactic principles and characteristics of the Italian language,
2. comprehend the historical, social, and political factors that have played pivotal role in the development of contemporary Italian,
3. distinguish between the Italian language and Italian dialects,
4. assess the importance of the Italian lexicon as a contributor to European-based languages, and
5. cultivate a profound understanding of the organizational structure of grammatical systems across various human languages and appreciate how language communities and governments policies can influence these systems.

The course structure:

This course boasts a distinctive format, encompassing two hands-on learning components: one at Glendon and the other at the University of Pisa in Italy.

The Glendon component comprises 12 classes, occurring twice a week over six-week period (May 7 - June 13, 2024). To accommodate students residing at a distance from the campus, this component will be available in a Hyflex format, allowing remote participation.

The University of Pisa component will also consist of 12 classes, scheduled from Monday to Thursday over a three-week span (June 24 - July 12, 2024) during the morning hours. Moreover, for those students interested, there is an option to enroll in an Italian language course offered by the University of Pisa during the afternoon hours.

Course outline

The Glendon component
Discovering miracles of the human language: The structure of the Italian Language
Class 1 (May 7, 2024)

Introduction to the course, defining the object of study, general ideas about the Italian language

Class 2 (May 9, 2024)

Phonetics and phonology (1)
Italian sound inventory

Class 3 (May 14, 2024)

Phonetics and phonology (2)
Stress, intonation, and rhythm in Italian
Due date for: Initial paper on the Italian language

Class 4 (May 16, 2024)

Phonetics and phonology (3)
Writing and pronunciation; Weak points of the Italian phonological system

Class 5 (May 21, 2024)

Morphology (1)
Inflectional morphology
Due date for: Assignment #1

Class 6 (May 23, 2024)

Morphology (2)
Derivational morphology

Class 7 (May 28, 2024)

Syntax (1)
The structure of the simple sentence in Italian
Due date for: Assignment #2

Class 8 (May 30, 2024)

Syntax (2)
The structure of the complex sentence in Italian

Class 9 (June 4, 2024)

Syntax (3)
Syntactic features and agreement in Italian / Text and syntax

Class 10 (June 6, 2024)

Lexicon (1)
The vocabulary of the Italian language (Basic, common, extended)
Typology of linguistic borrowing
Due date for: Assignment #3 due

Class 11 (June 11, 2024)

Lexicon (2)
Historical stratification of the Italian lexicon / Types of Italian dictionaries

Class 12 (June 13, 2024)

Midterm

The University of Pisa component
Looking at today's Italian language from its historical, geographical, social, communicative, and globalized community perspective
Class 1 (Juny 24, 2024)

The Italian language through the ages (1)
Origins of Italian

Class 2 (June 25, 2024)

The Italian language through the ages (2)
Tuscan as a standard language and its role in literature, philosophy, and the arts

Class 3 (June 26, 2024)

The Italian language through the ages (3)
Italian language during the Age of Enlightenment and National Unification

Class 4 (June 27, 2024)

Language varieties of the Italian Peninsula (1)
Dialects of the Italian Peninsula
Due date for: Assignment #4

Class 5 (July 1, 2024)

Language varieties of the Italian Peninsula (2)
Regional Italians

Class 6 (July 2, 2024)

Language varieties of the Italian Peninsula (3)
Historical and new Linguistic minorities

Class 7 (July 3, 2024)

Italian language in its social and communicative space (1)
Italian as a writen, spoken, and transmited language / Varieties and repertoire
Due date for: Assignment #5

Class 8 (July 4, 2024)

Italian language in its social and communicative space (2)
Standard Italian (System, norm, and usage)
Movements within the Norm: Re-standardization (= L’italiano neo-standard)

Class 9 (July 8, 2024)

Italian language in its social and communicative space (3)
Specialized languages
Midterm exam

Class 10 (July 9, 2024)

Italian language in the globalizing community (1)
Italian language in the world
Due date for: Assignment #6 due

Class 11 (July 10, 2024)

Italian language in the globalizing community (2)
Italian language and the new immigrant communities in Italy

Class 12 (July 11, 2024)

Final reflections on the course

Final Reflection Paper is due by July 15, 2024
To be submited to the course instructor by email

Marking scheme:

• 50% Glendon
  Initial paper on the Italian language 4%
  3 Assignments 21% (3x7%)
  In-class exam 15%
  Active participation in for a and journals on eClass 10%
• 50% Italy
  3 Assignments 21% (3x7%)
  Practical works (dialects, Italian and the media, langue policies, etc.) 10%
  Midterm exam 14%
  Reflection on the Italy component of the course 5%

Experiential learning
This course aims to engage students from the linguistics program at the University of Pisa with our own linguistics students. The idea is to pair them with Italian students who are studying (English) linguistics. This arrangement will provide an opportunity for the Italian students to practice and improve their English, while also fostering a mutual exchange of knowledge in both Italian and English linguistics between our students and theirs."