31300 - English Linguistics and Language 3 (G-O)

Learning outcomes

The students are expected to possess an excellent knowledge of the metalanguage, as well as mechanisms, of the descriptive-analytical model of the English language taught. Moreover, they should be competent in all four communicative skills at the C-1 level of the Common European Framework, as well as in particular skills.

Course contents

The course is for those who have already done the first and second year of Lingua e linguistica inglese. If you are an erasmus student or for whatever reason have not done these prior exams, please read the information for erasmus etc. students below (under ‘Assessment Methods'). Your program will need to be different.

 

 

Integral parts of the course:

A) Lectures: II semester (students' group A-F/ G-O, all semester)

B) Workshops: all II semester

C) Practical language classes:  I and II semester

 

 

A + B) Lectures and Workshops

Language as Purposeful: Functional Varieties of Text

 

Lectures aim at perfecting the competence acquired during the 1st and 2nd year, through: 1) the introduction and/or refinement of theoretical concepts that provide the bases for the notion of register, the central topic of the course, such as text, context of situation and culture; register and genre; inter- and contra-textuality and heteroglossia (Bakhtin); coding orientation (Bernstein), and 2) the application of the Functional Grammar descriptive-analytical model to different functional varieties of texts, or registers, with the aim of having students understand the typical lexicogrammar and discourse semantics of these texts and the contextual variables which tend to active them.

 

The workshops explain and illustrate further the contents of the lectures, and offer students the opportunity to do practical exercises on theory as well as analysis of the text types which are covered during the course. They also serve the purpose of ‘bridging' the potential divide between the metalinguistic and practical language components of the course.

 

However, since a knowledge of the model is only progressively and cumulatively acquired in the course of all three years of Lingua e Linguistica Inglese, a pre-requisite for this course is that students know the most updated 1st and 2nd year course-book contents.

 

 

C) The practical language classes which go on all year aim at bringing the students to C1 level in all abilities according to the Common European Framework (‘Effective Operational Proficient'). With a view towards further studies and/or the development of professional abilities, they will also aim at developing language awareness through contrastive analysis, focusing on translation and other skills, and using various text types that are relevant to the degree courses the students are enrolled in.

These classes focus on all four skills areas: reading and text analysis (text structure, reading for specific meanings, including speaker opinion or attitude, in single and multiple texts, in a comparative perspective); essay writing (content, style and organization in a range of text types; focus on developing argumentation skills); listening (for specific information, gist and attitude); and speaking (pronunciation practice; oral argumentation on a range of topics).

The translation classes will focus on practice of translation from Italian into English with the goal of strengthening communicative language skills and being able to deal with a given translation task.

Readings/Bibliography

Lectures and Workshops:

The main course-book is:

- Miller D.R. (in collaboration with A. Maiorani & M. Turci), 2005, Language as Purposeful: Functional Varieties of Texts, in the series Functional Grammar Studies for Non-Native Speakers of English; Quaderni del Centro di Studi Linguistico-Culturali (CeSLiC), D.R. Miller (ed.): ALMA DL, Asterisco, Bologna.

 

- Students are also required to know the following texts:

 

• Halliday M.A.K. & R. Hasan, 1985/1989, Part A of Language, context and text. Aspects of language in a social-semiotic perspective, Australia, Deakin University Press; Oxford, Oxford University Press.

• Ravelli L., 2000, “Getting Started with Functional Analysis of Textsâ€, in L. Unsworth (ed.), Researching Language in Schools and Communities: functional linguistic perspectives, London, Cassell.

 

 

- The basic FG Reference book is:

·      Thompson G., Introducing Functional Grammar, London, Arnold, 3rdedition 2014 (2nd edition 2004 accepted).

- Further Reference material is:

·      Bloor, T. & M. Bloor, “Glossaryâ€, in The Functional Analysis of English, London/New York, Routledge, 3rd ed. 2013, 285-295.

 

All texts will be available for students at the Department of Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures library. The Thompson text can also be ordered at Feltrinelli International in Via Zamboni, Bologna (or online at http://www.amazon.com) and the Miller coursebook can be found at the copy centre Asterisco in Via delle Belle Arti, and also in electronic form at: AMS ACTA, http://amsacta.unibo.it/866/

 

 

Language Classes:

For groups 3A, 3B, 3C and 3D the course book IELTS Masterclass (OUP) was adopted in the 2012-13 academic year. Any possible change to a similar type of book will be communicated by the beginning of the classes.

Details of materials (‘dispense') for the 4 groups indicated above and group 3E and those of translation will be made available in the copy centres in Via Cartoleria.

The suggested grammar (available in the Department library) is:

Downing A. & P. Locke, 2005, English grammar: A university course, UK, Taylor & Francis Ltd., 2nd revised edition.

It can also be ordered at Feltrinelli International in Via Zamboni, Bologna (or online at http://www.amazon.co.uk).

 

Teaching methods

Attendance of all lectures, workshops and language classes is very strongly recommended. Studies in Language Acquisition show that a language is best learnt through active class participation. 

 

a) Lectures and Workshops

3rd year students are divided into 2 groups, by alphabetical order A-F/ G-O (prof. Miller) and P-Z (prof. Manfredi). Lectures for these groups take place on the average of 4 hours a week, while the related workshops, aiming to reinforce theory through concrete practice, ordinarily take place every week, for 2 hours.

A detailed calendar of these activities will be available at the start of the teaching semester,

All students who regularly attend the lectures will be able to access class PPTs in Campus through an online Distribution List.

  

b) Language lessons

3rd year students will be divided into groups according to their 2nd year results.

Each student will follow a group doing ‘integrated skills' (2 classes of 2 hours each week) and one group of translation (1 class a week), for a total of 6 hours per week for the entire academic year.

Group lists and timetables will be put out on 3rd year notice board at the Department, 2nd floor, staircase B, and possibly on the website of the School at http://www.scuolalingue.unibo.it/it

The following divisions are foreseen:

group 3A e 3B

Dr. Mcallister

‘Integrated skills: Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking.'

 

group 3C e 3D

Dr. Lydster

‘Integrated skills: Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking.'

 

group 3E (only second semester and only for those students who could not attend in the first semester)

Dr. James

‘Integrated skills: Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking.'

 

Translation groups 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D

Dr. Luciani

Translation from Italian to English

 

 

Assessment methods

The exam is divided into two parts, one on English linguistics and one on English language, as reflected in the structure of the course and in its name.

 

The linguistics part of the exam is written, and the language part of the exam is both written and oral; the oral part is called the SAT (the Speaking Ability Test).

 

Exam structure

 

The total exam consists of 3 components:

 

(1) A linguistics written, based on the contents of the lectures held by the teacher of the course. This tests the students' knowledge of the theoretical concepts at the foundation of the notion of register and the capacity for applying the descriptive-analytical model of Systemic Functional Linguistics and other interconnected theories to functional varieties of text, or registers.

The aim is to show an understanding of the lexico-grammar and discourse semantics typical of the text-types examined in the course, as well as the contextual variables that tend to realize them.

The exam is divided into a theoretical and a appied part and consists of a total of 40 items (multiple choice, matching, cloze and open questions). The time allowed is 60 minutes.

 

(2) A language written, based on the contents of the language classes. This tests the students' capacity to analyze, understand and use the English language at level C1 of the Common European Framework for Languages. The exam is divided into specific sections on: (a1) Reading comprehension and text analysis, (a2) summary (both parts to be done in 75 minutes), (b) Writing (60 minutes) and (c) Translation (60 minutes). All three sections have a maximum of 30 points while the dual section (a) is weighted as follows: (a1) is worth 20 points and (a2) 10 points. The final mark is the mean of the scores obtained in the three sections. The text types used for this component of the exam are general interest and semi-specialized (e.g. newspaper articles, reviews, academic/ scientific articles/ interviews). Writing skills are evaluated with reference to the student's capacity to produce a persuasive/ argumentative or expository text.

 

(3) A SAT, which tests the students' listening and speaking skills, and their capacity to express, at a C1 level, a critical viewpoint on abstract or controversial topics or current affairs. This part of the exam lasts 15-20 minutes.

 

The specific skills and knowledge tested in each part of the language exam are detailed in a document entitled “format†which is available on-line ( http://corsi.unibo.it/Laurea/LingueLetteratureStraniere/materiale-didattico-e-informazioni-di-approfondimento.htm) and in local photocopy shops. The material includes exam facsimiles with keys.

 

Marking criteria and levels

 

Each part of the exam is evaluated separately. The final mark is calculated as follows: the score obtained in the Language written is multiplied by 2, and added to the score obtained in the SAT. This figure is divided by 3, added to the score obtained in the Linguistics written, and finally, divided by 2. Students who pass the written exam components with a score of at least 18/30 may NOT take the exam again. Starting with the summer exam session of May 2015, written exams will be valid for 4 sessions.

 

The written language exam (based on the content of the language classes) must be passed before the SAT: i.e., only after passing the written language exam can students take the SAT.

 

Written exams take place only once in each exam session; SATs are held twice, once before and once after the writtens and in proximity of the final mark registration dates. It is not obligatory to pass the three components of the exam in the same exam session, but it is not possible to register the final mark for the overall course until all three exam components have been passed. Students enrolled in the degree course in “Foreign Languages and Literatures†must also have passed the preceding year's literature exam.

 

Students who show a solid (Effective Operational Proficient – C1) command of the English language and an equally good awareness of its metalinguistic aspects receive an excellent mark. Students with a lesser degree of linguistic competence and metalinguistic awareness receive a lower mark. Students who apply their grammatical competence mechanically, without showing an adequate capacity to perform a thorough analysis of a complex text and/ or demonstrate a less than C1 competence with reference to a wide range of text-types and their contexts may pass the exam but will do so with a low mark. Finally, students who display  seriously insufficient metalinguistic awareness, analytical capacity and linguistic competence at the C1 level, will not pass the exam.

Regarding translation, an awareness of the functions of the source text and its register and level of formality must be demonstrated. Special attention must be paid to the grammatical structure, lexical choices (also in terms of collocation), and punctuation. Translations that sound ‘natural' will be rewarded, keeping in mind that only monolingual English dictionaries are allowed.

 

 

Additional information

 

The exam is the same for:

(1) attenders and non-attenders;

(2) students enrolled according to the old (509) and new (270) ordinamento.

 

Students who have chosen English as their third language are not obliged to take the SAT, but may do so if they wish.

 

Students of the old ordinamento “quadriennaleâ€, for whom the exam is called “Lingua e letteratura ingleseâ€, take only the language written and SAT (no linguistics component). The final mark for these students is the mean of the score obtained in their language exam and the one obtained in their literature exam.

 

Further useful information: 

Incoming and outgoing Erasmus students, as well as students from other Departments/ Degree Courses, must refer to the document published by the School at http://corsi.unibo.it/Laurea/LingueLetteratureStraniere/programma-erasmus.

 The prova di conoscenza della lingua straniera is a 3-credit, pass/fail exam, required for those enrolled in the V.O. 509, is to be done ONLY by those who are certain that they will be doing their final undergraduate paper on some English or Anglo-American  topic. It consists in a very brief discussion on current affairs.

Those enrolled in the new ‘ordinamento' 270 do NOT do this exam.

 

Students SHOULD NOT WAIT to do their language exams until the session in which they are to graduate. There is a real risk that they will not pass and therefore not graduate.

 

Exam results are always published on the Professor's personal web page and also put out on 3rd year notice board.

 

All students MUST enrol themselves on the lists in almaesami for EACH exam they intend to sit. In the absence of a ‘libretto' a student doing an exam must present their university card and a valid ID with photo.

 

Teaching tools

Lectures will make use of PPTs.

Links to further information

http://sito della Scuola: http://www.scuolalingue.unibo.it/it

Office hours

See the website of Donna Rose Miller