28748 - Chinese Language and Literature I (LM)

Course contents

The course will give a basic outline of Standard Chinese language. It will start from phonetics and the pinyin romanization system. After that, the course will deal with the following topics:

- A short introduction to the typological featires of the Chinese language;

- The nature of the Chinese writing system and the structure of Chinese characters;

- Noun phrase, nominalization, and the noun phrase particle de 的;

- Adjective phrase and the adverb hen 很;

- Verb phrase;

As for the verb phrase, the following topics will be covered:

- The nature of the Chinese verb shi 是, "to be" and you 有 "to have";

- Existential and locative sentences with the verbs zai 在, you 有, and shi 是;

- Serial verb construction and telescopic constructions;

- The most common prepositional phrase;

- The expression of time;

- A short introduction to the aspect of the verb and its related aspectual particles.

Readings/Bibliography

Masini, Federico; Romagnoli Chiara; Zhang Tongbing; Chang Yafang. Comunicare in cinese; Milano: Hoepli, 2021.

Abbiati, Magda; Chen, Liansheng. Caratteri cinesi. Venezia: Cafoscarina, 2001

Casacchia, Giorgio; Bai, Yun. Dizionario Cinese-Italiano. Venezia: Cafoscarina, 2013

 

Students who decide not to attend classes are not required to read further volumes.

Teaching methods

All topics dealing with the grammar of Standard Chinese will be delivered through traditional lectures.

 

The students will be repeatedly asked to proved answers to all questions posed by the exercises given through the course. In particular, the students will be asked to explain and justify their translation choices and strategies.

Assessment methods

The exam will be structured in two parts.

 

The first part will be a grammar test dealing with all the topics of the course and a short translation from Chinese to Italian.

The score will be distributed in the following manner:

Lexical exercises:

Single word transcription from Chinese characters to pinyin (3pt)

Single word transcription from pinyin to Chinese character (3pt)

Grammar and syntax exercises:

Rearrangemet of ill-formed sequences of Chinese characters into well-formed sequences (6pt)

Insertion of grammar word or particles (like aspect particles, prepositions, etc) (6pt)

Error correction

Correction of ill-formed sentences (6pt)

 

Translation from Chinese into Italian (6pt)

 

The oral exam will be centered about delivering a short recap on the texts dealt though the course. 

Teaching tools

Students who require specific services  and adaptations to teaching activities due to a disability or specific learning disorders (SLD) must first contact the appropriate office:

 

https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students

Office hours

See the website of Luca Vantaggiato