OVERVIEW

This module addresses in detail the languages employed in Chinese contemporary promotional culture (advertising, branding, and marketing).

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims at reinforcing and developing linguistic, translation and communication skills in the field of Chinese for special purposes, with a focus on the realms of promotional culture and communication in contemporary China. The learning outcomes will be reached through reading activities, in-depth analyses, and translations of texts (verbal, visual and audiovisual) in Chinese language, combined with the study of secondary sources necessary in order to guarantee an adequate understanding and a proper contextualisation in relation to China’s economy, politics and society.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

On completion of this module the students will:

1) improve his/her linguistic, translation and communication skills in the field of Chinese for special purposes, with specific reference to promotional and communication phenomena, such as advertising, branding and marketing;

2) be able to read, analyse and translate a variety of Chinese-language materials;

3) demonstrate knowledge and mastery of secondary sources, which are necessary for an in-depth critical analysis of the themes and contents addressed during the module (for example, cross-cultural advertising);

4) manage to contextualise the contents of the module in the specific realm of contemporary China, taking into account factors related to economy, politics and society.

PREREQUISITES

The module is conceived for third-year students who gained the linguistic skills necessary in order to understand the syllabus/contents.

An in-depth theoretical and practical knowledge of Italian language equal to a native speaker or at least to level C1 of the CEFR is also required.

TEACHING METHODS

This is a 36-hour module running on the second semester. Provided the sanitary emergency doesn't worsen, lectures should be delivered in the classroom, face-to-face. Beyond attending lectures, the students will be required to carry out independent study and activities (translations, online searches, watch audiovisual texts, draft of glossaries, etc.). Attendance to this module is strongly recommended.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The module is intended to address in-depth three main areas related to promotional culture in contemporary China:

- advertising;

- branding;

- marketing.

The module includes reading activities and analyses of Chinese-language texts, an examination of lexicon and structures of promotional languages, translations from Chinese into Italian (and viceversa), as well as critical explorations on translation strategies and choices.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Chinese-language materials will be distributed before or during the classes, together with links to have access to online materials as well as additional readings.

Essential mandatory readings:

Canigiani, E. 2001. “Introduzione allo studio dei marchi cinesi e delle traduzioni dei nomi dei marchi stranieri in cinese”, Mondo Cinese 106,  41-53 https://www.tuttocina.it/Mondo_cinese/106/106_Cani.htm

Eckhardt, G. M. and Bengtsson, A. (2010). ‘A Brief History of Branding in China’, Journal of Macromarketing 30(3): 210-221.

Puppin, G. 2014. ‘Advertising and China: How Does a Love/hate Relationship Work?’ In The Changing Landscape of China’s Consumerism, edited by Alison Hulme, 177–95. Oxford: Chandos/Elsevier.

Puppin, G. 2020. 'Forty Years of the Return of Advertising in China (1979-2019): A Critical Overview', Jomec (Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies) 15, 1-19, https://jomec.cardiffuniversitypress.org/articles/abstract/10.18573/jomec.201/

Mandatory books (choose one among the following):

Dong, L. and Tian, K. (2010) Consumer-Citizens of China: The Role of Foreign Brands in the Imagined Future China, London: Routledge.

Li, H. 2016. Advertising and Consumer Culture in China. Cambridge: Polity.

Wang, J. 2008. Brand New China: Advertising, Media, and Commercial Culture. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Cheng, H. & Chan, K. (eds.) 2009. Advertising and Chinese Society: Impacts and Issues. Gylling, Denmark: Copenhagen Business School Press.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

GIOVANNA PUPPIN (President)

LUCA PISANO

XIAODANYANG ZHANG (Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

Lectures are schedule for the second semester (further guidelines on the possibility of carrying out face-to-face teaching should be available and will be communicated).

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Drafting of an essay on one of the themes/contents addressed during the module, which has to be agreed with and approved by the module convenor.

The specific guidelines related to the drafting of the essay (themes/contents, lenght, deadline and upload, etc.) will be made available on AulaWeb, on the module webpages.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The final essay aims at assessing the theoretical and methodological knowledge for a critical analysis of promotional texts in Chinese language, more specifically:

1) the students' linguistic, translation and communication skills;

2) ability to read, analyse and translate a variety of Chinese-language promotional materials;

3) the knowledge and mastery of secondary sources for an in-depth critical analysis of the themes and contents addressed during the module;

4) ability to contextualise the contents of the module in the specific realm of contemporary China, taking into account factors related to economy, politics and society.

Exam schedule