48
English Language and Translation
UNIVERSITÀ DEGLI STUDI DI NAPOLI "L'ORIENTALE"
Overview
Date/time interval
Syllabus
Course Objectives
The course is aimed at deepening and strengthening skills in theoretical and applied linguistics, with particular focus on linguistic and intercultural mediation in English.
In line with the educational objectives of the Degree Program, considerable emphasis will be placed on mediation and intercultural communication in English across various professional contexts: reception centers, tourism, marketing, international trade, web, artistic and cultural industries, and education.
Students will reflect on the concepts of register, style, and genre, and how these dimensions influence language use in real-world contexts. The course will also address the two major diasporas of the English language, with the aim of understanding its global expansion and the emergence of new varieties. Special attention will be devoted to English as a lingua franca, examined as a key tool for intercultural mediation, as well as to intercultural communication as a transversal competence.
Students will explore linguistic variation within the English-speaking world, with examples from British, North American, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand, South African, Nigerian, and Indian varieties, as well as phenomena related to contact linguistics and the spread of English in postcolonial and globalized contexts. Topics such as linguicism and the prejudices and disadvantages stemming from linguistic variation will also be analyzed.
The course requires a solid background in theoretical and applied linguistics, as well as knowledge of the English linguistic system (phonological, morphological, syntactic, and lexical). The acquisition of advanced written and oral skills will be accompanied by a focus on the principles of intercultural communication, with reference to various text types.
APPLICATIVE SKILLS
By the end of the course, students will be able to understand and produce complex texts in English, recognizing and employing different registers, styles, and language varieties. They will be capable of applying linguistic analysis tools at various levels (phonological, morphological, syntactic, semantic, and pragmatic) in written, oral, and multimedia contexts.
The course fosters the ability to interact in English in situations of mediation and intercultural communication, with attention to the linguistic dynamics of different cultural contexts. Students will learn to apply historical, geographical, and sociolinguistic knowledge to the analysis of linguistic phenomena related to English varieties.
The educational path will provide students with tools to critically analyze and discuss key concepts in English language and culture, and to produce texts suited to academic, professional, and international contexts.
INDEPENDENT JUDGEMENT
The course aims to develop students’ ability to form independent and critically informed opinions on linguistic, cultural, and sociolinguistic issues. Through the use of bibliographic sources, digital resources, and academic repertoires, students will be able to conduct independent analyses, comparing theoretical approaches and intercultural perspectives.
Critical reflection will be encouraged on concepts such as language standard, norm, linguistic identity, and linguistic discrimination, with particular attention to the effects of linguicism in contemporary English-speaking contexts.
COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Upon completion of the course, students will be able to communicate effectively in English in a variety of academic and professional contexts, with particular focus on intercultural situations. They will know how to adapt register, tone, and textual structure to communicative needs, and manage interaction across different linguistic and cultural varieties.
They will develop skills in both written and oral production, including in relation to specialized and multimedia texts (e.g., tourism, cultural, and economic texts), and will be able to produce argumentative and critical texts, employing precise terminology and showing awareness of linguistic and cultural variation.
Course Prerequisites
La competenza linguistica iniziale del corso è di livello intermedio superiore e prevede il raggiungimento del livello avanzato in uscita. Inoltre è necessaria la conoscenza dei principi fondamentali della lingua e linguistica inglese: aspetti fonetici e fonologici, morfologici, sintattici, lessicali, discorsivi e testuali.
Teaching Methods
The lectures, held in the first semester, will include face-to-face lectures conducted entirely in English (30 hours), flanked by laboratory activities of analysis, comprehension and production of texts in groups and individuals under the supervision of the lecturer, as well as discussions aimed at deepening the topics covered (26 hours). Such laboratory activities, materials and exercises will also be made available within the course's Moodle virtual classroom. Attending students will collect these activities together with self-assessment activities carried out in the classroom with the lecturer in a portfolio that will be evaluated in the exam. The course includes a midterm assessment consisting of an oral presentation of group work that will be assessed during the exam. The course is annual and provides practical exercises imparted by native speaker C.E.L.'s, which will be held in both the first and second semesters. The tutorials also include two practical exercises (a writing test and a translation test) that will contribute to the final assessment.
Assessment Methods
The exam consists of a written/oral language assessment and an oral exam in English.The language assessment involves evaluating the student’s skills in English comprehension and production: assessment of reading, writing, speaking, and listening abilities; verification of the acquisition of syntactic structures, vocabulary, and morphology.
For attending students: The oral exam will focus on verifying the various aspects of the syllabus and the activities carried out in class.
For non-attending students: The oral exam will focus on verifying the various aspects of the syllabus covered in the required reading list.
Assessment criteria: The final grade may range from 18/30 to 30/30, depending on the level of accuracy and completeness demonstrated in the oral exam, the correct use of methodologies and theories, and the student’s command of the English language. The minimum passing grade (18/30) is awarded when the student demonstrates uncertain or partial mastery in applying the studied knowledge and methods, and has fragmented or basic knowledge limited to the essential foundations of the various topics covered. The student also shows minimal ability to argue and present their ideas. The maximum grade (30/30) is awarded when the student demonstrates complete and in-depth mastery in applying the theoretical knowledge and methods of analysis studied. The student also shows a high level of proficiency in English, presenting and discussing their ideas fluently and confidently, in line with an advanced level of English competence.
Honors (cum laude) are awarded when the student demonstrates absolute mastery of theoretical and methodological content, the ability to draw interdisciplinary connections among the various topics covered, and the capacity to present arguments with outstanding expressive and communicative skills.
Texts
Reference texts:
- Holliday, Adrian, Hyde, Martin, and John Kullman, Intercultural Communication, pp. 8-59.
- Holmes Janet, An Introduction to Sociolinguistics, 2008 (all).
- Jenkins Janet, World English
Contents
Course Title: Mediation and Intercultural Communication in English
1. Mediation in English across Different Contexts
Analysis of linguistic and cultural mediation
practices in specific settings: reception and migration centers, the tourism
and hospitality industry, marketing and intercultural promotion, international
trade, digital communication and websites, cultural and creative industries
(art, cinema, publishing), educational and academic contexts. Case studies and
simulations will be used.
2. The First and Second Diaspora of the English
Language
Historical and geographical exploration of the
expansion of English: from British colonization (first diaspora) to
globalization and digitalization (second diaspora). Analysis of the linguistic,
cultural, and political implications of the global spread of English.
3. English as a Lingua Franca in Mediation
Definition and characteristics of English as a
Lingua Franca (ELF). The role of ELF in intercultural communication and
negotiation between speakers of different languages. Analysis of concrete
examples of ELF interactions in professional and educational contexts.
4. Standard Language and Vernaculars
Discussion on the concept of linguistic norms and
standardization. Differences between standard English and vernacular varieties.
Critical reflection on the prestige associated with standard language and the
dynamics of power and social exclusion.
5. Register, Style, and Genre
Analysis of variations in register (formal,
informal, technical), communicative style, and textual genres. Study of the
relationship between communicative context, linguistic choices, and
communicative goals. Practical activities in identifying and producing texts in
English.
6. Linguistic Variation in the English-Speaking
World
Introduction to sociolinguistics in
English-speaking contexts. Linguistic diversity across English-speaking
countries. Factors influencing variation: geography, social class, gender, age,
ethnicity, and communicative setting. Analysis of real-life data and authentic
examples.
7. Contact Linguistics in English-Speaking
Contexts
Study of linguistic phenomena resulting from
contact between English and other languages: pidgins, creoles, code-switching,
loanwords. Impact of these phenomena on the construction of linguistic and
cultural identities in postcolonial contexts.
8. Intercultural Communication
Theories and models of intercultural
communication. Cultural differences in communicative processes: interaction
styles, pragmatic conventions, management of disagreement and consensus.
Effective communicative strategies for intercultural mediation.
9. Linguicism, Prejudice, and Disadvantages
Related to Linguistic Variation
The concept of linguicism and its manifestations
in English-speaking contexts. Prejudices related to accent, non-standard
grammar, and cultural background. Reflection on language and inequality. Tools
to recognize and combat linguistic discrimination.
10. British, North American, Canadian,
Australian, New Zealand, South African, Nigerian, and Indian Varieties of
English
Overview of major English varieties around the
world. Phonological, morphosyntactic, lexical, and pragmatic features.
Comparative analysis of native and postcolonial varieties. Study of
representative oral and written texts.
Course Language
Si