The Course “Germanic Philology 2 LM” falls within the domain of the Complementary learning activities of the Degree Course in Modern Languages for International Communication, specifically the activities aiming at providing adequate tools for the analysis of texts in the light of their transmission and cultural context.
The course envisages further study of the medieval languages from a diachronic perspective; further study of the theory of textual criticism, with special reference to the transmission, edition and interpretation of texts, as well as to the historical context in which they were produced and transmitted.
Expected Learning Outcomes: The student will acquire detailed and in-depth competence in the history of medieval languages and literatures, as well as in the wider domain of textual and literary criticism.
The course envisages further study of the medieval languages from a diachronic perspective; further study of the theory of textual criticism, with special reference to the transmission, edition and interpretation of texts, as well as to the historical context in which they were produced and transmitted.
Expected Learning Outcomes: The student will acquire detailed and in-depth competence in the history of medieval languages and literatures, as well as in the wider domain of textual and literary criticism.
teacher profile teaching materials
The course aims to present the different ways and purposes in which various authors of the English and German Middle Ages translated, reworked and rewrote literary, philosophical or theological texts from Latin into vernacular. The works in verse and prose (e.g. Old English biblical and hagiographic poems, Old English translations of Alfred's works, Old Saxon Heliand, Old High German Otfrid von Weißenburg’s Liber Evangelorium, Tatian and Notker III's translations) and the related paratexts (prefaces, epilogues, dedicatory letters) will be analyzed from a literary, philological and linguistic perspective, with particular attention to codicological transmission and text typology, as well as to the historical and cultural context in which they were produced. The analysis of the texts will enable students to gain insight into some features of the linguistic evolution of English and German.
The students, who will be guided by the teacher in the choice of themes and in the use of the main bibliographic tools, will have to present an individual or group report, which will be discussed in class in the final part of the course, and which will focus on historical-literary, linguistic and textual topics related to works of the Germanic Middle Ages.
M. Battaglia (ed.), Le civiltà letterarie del Medioevo germanico, Carocci, Roma 2017 (pp. 55-136; 137-276; 277-309).
B. Murdoch - M. Read (eds.), Early Germanic Literature and Culture, Camden House, Rochester-New York 2004 (pp. 205-233; 235-261; 263-284).
R.D. Fulk – C. Cain, A History of Old English Literature, Wynley Blackwell, Oxford 2013.
Rolf Bergmann (Hg.), Althochdeutsche und altsächsische Literatur, De Gruyter, Berlin–Boston, 2013.
A. M. Luiselli Fadda, Tradizioni manoscritte e critica del testo nel medioevo germanico, Roma-Bari: Laterza 2004 (Parte II e III)
Programme
Re-worked versions, re-writings and translation strategies in medieval English and German textsThe course aims to present the different ways and purposes in which various authors of the English and German Middle Ages translated, reworked and rewrote literary, philosophical or theological texts from Latin into vernacular. The works in verse and prose (e.g. Old English biblical and hagiographic poems, Old English translations of Alfred's works, Old Saxon Heliand, Old High German Otfrid von Weißenburg’s Liber Evangelorium, Tatian and Notker III's translations) and the related paratexts (prefaces, epilogues, dedicatory letters) will be analyzed from a literary, philological and linguistic perspective, with particular attention to codicological transmission and text typology, as well as to the historical and cultural context in which they were produced. The analysis of the texts will enable students to gain insight into some features of the linguistic evolution of English and German.
The students, who will be guided by the teacher in the choice of themes and in the use of the main bibliographic tools, will have to present an individual or group report, which will be discussed in class in the final part of the course, and which will focus on historical-literary, linguistic and textual topics related to works of the Germanic Middle Ages.
Core Documentation
A selection of chapters from the following texts:M. Battaglia (ed.), Le civiltà letterarie del Medioevo germanico, Carocci, Roma 2017 (pp. 55-136; 137-276; 277-309).
B. Murdoch - M. Read (eds.), Early Germanic Literature and Culture, Camden House, Rochester-New York 2004 (pp. 205-233; 235-261; 263-284).
R.D. Fulk – C. Cain, A History of Old English Literature, Wynley Blackwell, Oxford 2013.
Rolf Bergmann (Hg.), Althochdeutsche und altsächsische Literatur, De Gruyter, Berlin–Boston, 2013.
A. M. Luiselli Fadda, Tradizioni manoscritte e critica del testo nel medioevo germanico, Roma-Bari: Laterza 2004 (Parte II e III)
Reference Bibliography
A selection of chapters from the following texts: D. Crystal, The Stories of English, Woodstock: Overlook Press, 2004 P. von Polenz, Geschichte der deutschen Sprache, Berlin: De Gruyter 2009 R. Voaden – R. Tixier – T. Sanchez Roura – J.R. Rytting (eds.), The Theory and Practice of Translation in the Middle Ages, Brepols, Turnhout, 2004. R. Ellis et al. (eds.). The Medieval Translator, Brepols, Turnhout, 1998. R. Ellis (ed.). The Medieval Translator. The Theory and Practice of Translation in the Middle Ages, D. S. Brewer, Woodbridge 1989. M. V. Molinari & M. G. Cammarota (a cura di). Testo medievale e traduzione. Bergamo 27-28 ottobre 2000. Bergamo, University Press Bergamo. R. Stanton, The Culture of Translation in Anglo-Saxon England, D.S. Brewer, Cambridge 2002. P. E. Szarmach (ed.). Old English Prose: Basic Readings, Routledge, New York, 2000. N. G. Discenza – P. E. Szarmach (eds.). A Companion to Alfred the Great, Brill Leiden – Boston, 2015. R.B. Bjork, The Cynewulf Reader, Routledge, New York 2001 R.M. Liuzza, The Poem of Junius 11: Basic Readings, Routledge, New York, 2002. V. Dolcetti Corazza – R. Gendre (a cura di), Lettura di ‘Heliand’, Edizioni dell’Orso, Alessandria, 2011. C. Falluomini (a cura di), Lettura di Notker III. XVI seminario avanzato di Filologia Germanica, Edizioni dell’Orso, Alessandria, 2016.Type of delivery of the course
TraditionalAttendance
Students are strongly invited to attend the course. Non-attending students are asked to contact the teacher at the beginning of the lessons.Type of evaluation
The oral examination aims to test: (a) the knowledge of the content of the texts given in the syllabus and of the problems discussed during the semester; (b) the ability to critically rework the acquired knowledge and place the texts in their historical, cultural and linguistic context; (c) the expressive skills and the acquisition of the use of a specialized vocabulary; (d) the acquisition of the discipline's own methods of inquiry; (e) the results of individual investigations. Marks: from 18 to 30 cum laude.