30085 - English Language (LM)

Learning outcomes

The students are expected to be familiar with theories of ‘language mediation' and its practical/professional application in public- and social services. The student will be expected to apply the theoretical and practical tools learned in class that pertain to international and intercultural communication. They are also expected to use the learning methods developed during the course to be able to independently examine in depth and update their skills and competencies and to conduct research in this area. Through practical exercises during these two years, their communicative competencies in all the abilities, active and passive, will reach a B2 level of the European Common Framework which will put them in a position to effectively interpret socio-linguistic and cultural codes of people involved in a communicative rapport.

Course contents

Cultural/Language Mediation and Interpretation

The programme is valid for students attending both of these course: Lingua Società e Comunicazione (LSC) and Lingua e Cultura Italiane per Stranieri (LCIS)

WithCinzia Spinzi

The objective of this course is to provide the students with an introduction to the role of the Italian-English interpreter/ language mediators in the fields of health, law and business. The course focuses on this emerging profession in Italy and on the interpreting strategies adopted during interpreting sessions. It also examines the diversification of the role and tasks of the interpreter and the language/cultural mediator. The material and institutional differences between these two job-tasks deeply influence the communicative skills needed for this job. The discourse modes that pertain to the legal and health institutions and the business sector, in the Italian context, will be examined. A basic premise in this profession is the foreign citizen's right to full access to justice, to healthcare and to social services, fully cognizant of Italian language expressions through the medium of his/her own language by way of an Italian-English interpreter/ language mediator. The course starts with a global introduction to the profession of Community Interpreting and a discussion of fundamental theoretical notions, with special emphasis on the Code of Ethics. The students will be trained in interpreting techniques and asked to participate actively in class; brief reference to note-taking will be made with a few targeted exercises aimed at introducing the students to this skill.

Given that English is a global language, it often functions as a lingua franca in the above-mentioned contexts. Indeed, it often happens that the interpreter will have to interpret to/from a ‘non-standard' English in which the accent and the morphological/lexical/syntactical expressions of the language vary significantly; this may jeopardize not only communication but ultimately also access to legal, medical etc., services. These variations will be addressed in class.

The course teachers will be using audio-visual material to give examples of how interpreting functions in practice, and the students will be asked to take an active part in the lessons through oral presentations in English pertaining to the theory and practice of the profession in order to improve their language and public-speaking.

In class, the students will be actively participating in role-plays – simulated dialogues between service providers (doctor, nurse, judge, lawyer, business interlocutors, etc.) and the foreign-language speaker (patient, witness, etc.). Guest lecturers from pertinent institutions (to be decided) will be invited to give talks on various aspects of their profession and to act as participants in the role-play. Memory exercises and sight translation exercises will be practised in class to improve the students' interpreting techniques.

Language exercisesLM LSC

In the second-level degree course, Language, society and communication, the English Language and Linguistics courses all aim at making the students language and cultural experts possessing a deep theoretical understanding of, and a high practical competence (C2) in, the language. In order to develop their practical language skills, language classes are offered; these classes are pertinent to the subjects covered in the LSC English module. Attendance, as always in the Faculty, is not required, but it is very much encouraged, as Second Language Acquisition studies have shown the strong link between attendance and progress made.

The aim of this course is to practise, consolidate and add to the language skills the students acquired in their three year degree programme, bringing them to a C 2 level. To achieve this, students will be given practice in oral language skills through reading and comprehension and eventual discussion of current affairs, andwriting skills through the production of essays dealing with discussion topics.

Readings/Bibliography

Textbooks:

G. Garzone, M. Rudvin (2003), Domain-specific English and Language Mediation in a Professional and Institutional Setting, Milano, Arcipelago (this book can be found at the bookshop 'Capitello del Sole' in via Cartoleria)

S. Hale (2007) Community Interpreting, MacMillan

Recommended reading:

A. Gentile, U. Ozolins, M. Vasilakakos, (1996), Liaison Interpreting. A Handbook, Melbourne, Melbourne University Press

Heather Bowe and Kylie Martin (2007) Communication Across Cultures. Mutual Understanding in A Global World. Cambridge University Press

Supplementary reading material will be available in the library and in the photocopying shop in Via Cartoleria ( MasterCopy). Some material will also be made available online.

All of the books on this list can be found in the Department library.

Teaching methods

As well as lectures on the theory of the discipline, much of the course will be interactive, based on the active participation of the students through discussions, oral presentations, role-play e various class exercises.

Some classes will be held with both lecturers present.

Two videos will be shown to illustrate visually the work of the interpreter/ language mediators in the legal and health settings and to generate class discussion on theoretical and practical aspects of this profession.

Assessment methods

The exam will consist of

- an essay on a subject discussed in class

- a written test in English based on the two textbooks

- a short interpretation from/into English-Italian to test the interpreting skills that the candidate has learned during the course of the module

- an oral presentation in class

Teaching tools

Power Point, internet and video

Office hours

See the website of Mette Rudvin

See the website of Cinzia Giacinta Spinzi

See the website of Cinzia Giacinta Spinzi