LEARNING OUTCOMES

This annual course aims to achieve level A2 (Common European Framework) of linguistic competence starting from level pre-A1. Through the Theoretical Module and grammar exercises, at the end of the course students will have acquired knowledge of the basics of the Arabic language in its phonological, morphological, syntactic and semantic aspects, as well as the ability to recognize and interpret the basic structures of olden and modern written Arabic. Thanks to the support of activities aimed at acquiring communicative competence (linguistic, sociolinguistic and pragmatic) of level A1-A2, at the end of the course students will have acquired the ability of oral comprehension and production in colloquial Arabic (level A2: "Elementary"), as well as the ability to read, write and translate elementary texts (level A2: "Elementary"). At the end of this annual course, students will know how to use theoretical notions in language practice, as well as they will have developed a basic awareness of linguistic variation in contemporary Arabic.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Language Classes (Lettorato) aim to introduce students to the modern variant of the written variety, providing them with grammatical and lexical tools, as well as interactive training activities necessary for reading, comprehension, translation from Arabic to Italian and from Italian to Arabic, and for the production of elementary written texts.

The Theoretical Module (Modulo Teorico) aims to introduce students to Arabic as a diverse language, to the Arabic linguistic complex and to variation in contemporary Arabic, and provides the introduction to one of the variants, i.e. the language spoken in Damascus, of the Arabic variety spoken in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine, which however has the characteristic of being comprehensible in the rest of the contemporary Arabic-speaking world. In addition to the theoretical tools, linguistic and sociolinguistic, the module aims to provide students with the practical tools necessary for elementary communication in one of the variants of the spoken language, indispensable skill in today's training of an Arabist.

At the end of Arabic Language I annual course (9 CFU), continuous attendance and active participation in the proposed training activities (lectures and interactive activities), and individual study undertaken with constancy even during the teaching period will allow students to

• know the fundamental structures of the modern variant of the written variety of Arabic and of the Damascene variant of the Middle Eastern spoken variety in their phonological, morphological and syntactic aspects;
• apply theoretical notions in elementary level language practice;
• read elementary texts;
• understand basic written texts;
• translate elementary written texts from Arabic to Italian;
• translate elementary written texts from Italian to Arabic;
• produce elementary written texts;
• understand basic texts in spoken language (Damascene variant);
• understand basic texts in spoken language (Middle Eastern variety: Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine);
• interpret elementary texts from the language spoken in Damascus to Italian;
• interpret elementary texts from the variety spoken in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine to Italian;
• interpret basic texts from Italian to the language spoken in Damascus;
• communicate at elementary level in the language spoken in Damascus;
• converse at elementary level in the variety spoken in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine;
• conceptualise Arabic diversity;
• internalize the concept of linguistic complex;
• appreciate linguistic variation in contemporary Arabic.

TEACHING METHODS

The Theoretical Module (Term Two) includes 30 hours of lectures and / or seminars.

Language classes (Term One and Term Two) include 100 hours of activities aimed at developing language skills, and grammar drills.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The Language Classes (Lettorato) syllabus consists of the texts, vocabulary, grammar and exercises of the first ten lessons of the first volume of Luc-Willy Deheuvels (2010) modern Arabic handbook. The grammar program of the modern variant of the written variety includes:

• The alphabet;
• The vowels;
• Sentence structure (syntax);
• Prefixed verbal conjugation (verbal aspect: imperfective): al-fiʿl al-muḍāriʿ al-marfūʿ;
• Orthographic signs: šadda;
• The interrogative sentence: mā e māḏā;
• Long vowels;
• The vocative;
• Annexation: al-ʾiḍāfa;
• Hamza;
• The article: waṣla;
• The feminine marker: tāʾ marbūṭa;
• The spellings of ʾalif;
• Subject pronouns;
• Roots and patterns;
• Inflection;
• Definite and indefinite;
• Monoliteral particles;
• Sun and moon letters, assimilation of the article;
• The adjective;
• Arabic and Indian figures;
• The kāna yakūnu verb;
• Nouns ending in ʾalif maqṣūra;
• Punctuation;
• The suffix pronoun: al-ḍamīr al-muttaṣil;
• The preposition li-; how to express the notion of possession;
• Attribute and ʾiḍāfa;
• First person singular suffix pronoun;
• Sound (or external) plural: al-ğamʿ al-sālim;
• Agreement in the plural;
• The interrogative sentence: ʾa- e hal; ʾayy;
• Suffixed verbal conjugation (verbal aspect: perfective): al-fiʿl al-māḍī;
• ʾAlif maqṣūra followed by suffix pronoun;
• ʾInna and ʾillā ʾanna;
• Noun of place: ism al-makān;
• Masculine sound plural and ʾiḍāfa;
• The dual of nouns and adjectives;
• Agreement in the dual.

Program of the Theoretical Module:

Part One "The linguistic and sociolinguistic framework":

a) Linguistic framework: Arabic as a Semitic language; Arabic as a plural language; diglossia; Arabic dialects; origins of diglossia.

b) Sociolinguistics of contemporary Arabic: language levels; variation parameters; beyond diglossia; other languages in play, code switching, interpersonal interaction.

Part Two "The Damascene variant of the Middle Eastern variety spoken in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine":

Presentation and use of the lexical, grammatical and syntactical elements necessary for the rendering of the written texts of the first ten lessons of the first volume of Luc-Willy Deheuvels' handbook of modern Arabic (2010) in the language spoken today in Damascus, also through a contrastive analysis of the characteristics of the written and spoken variety. The grammar program of the Damascene variant of the spoken Middle Eastern variety includes:

• Phonology;
• Sentence structure (syntax);
• Prefixed verbal conjugation (verbal aspect: imperfective);
• The verbal marker b-;
• The verbal marker ʿam;
• The verbal marker laḥ, raḥ;
• The interrogative phrase;
• The vocative;
• The article; assimilation of the article;
• Definite and indefinite;
• How to express the notion of possession;
• The feminine marker;
• The subject pronoun;
• Morpholexical patterns;
• The absence of inflection;
• Particles (prepositions, conjunctions); adverbs;
• The adjective;
• The numerals; time;
• The verb kān ykūn;
• The complement pronoun;
• The plural;
• Agreement in the plural;
• The interrogative phrase;
• Suffixed verbal conjugation (verbal aspect: perfective);
• The verbal marker ʾām;
• ʾInnu and la-ʾinnu;
• Noun of place;
• The dual;
• Agreement in the dual.

PROGRAM and CFU:

9 CFU: Language Casses (Lettorato) + Theoretical Module Part One + Theoretical Module Part Two;

8 CFU: Language Classes (Lettorato)  + Theoretical Module Part One + Theoretical Module Part Two;

6 CFU: Language Classes (Lettorato)

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

9 CFU:

• Deheuvels, Luc-Willy (2010). Grammatica araba. Manuale di arabo moderno con esercizi e cd audio per l’ascolto. Edizione italiana a cura di Antonella Ghersetti. Bologna: Zanichelli. Volume 1;
• Mion, Giuliano. (2016). La lingua araba (Nuova Edizione). Roma: Carocci;
• Diez, Martino (2018). Introduzione alla lingua araba (Nuova edizione). Milano: Vita e Pensiero;
• Durand, O., Ventura, A. (2017). Bilād al-šām. Grammatica di arabo mediorientale. Lingua šāmī. Milano: Hoepli (collana: Studi Orientali);
• Aulaweb.

8 CFU:

• Deheuvels, Luc-Willy (2010). Grammatica araba. Manuale di arabo moderno con esercizi e cd audio per l’ascolto. Edizione italiana a cura di Antonella Ghersetti. Bologna: Zanichelli. Volume 1;
• Mion, Giuliano. (2016). La lingua araba (Nuova Edizione). Roma: Carocci;
• Durand, O., Ventura, A. (2017). Bilād al-šām. Grammatica di arabo mediorientale. Lingua šāmī. Milano: Hoepli (collana: Studi Orientali);
• Aulaweb.

6 CFU:

• Deheuvels, Luc-Willy (2010). Grammatica araba. Manuale di arabo moderno con esercizi e cd audio per l’ascolto. Edizione italiana a cura di Antonella Ghersetti. Bologna: Zanichelli. Volume 1.