OVERVIEW

German Sociolinguistics and Varieties of the contemporary German language

The course is a 9-credits-course  consisting  of

• a theoretical module (30 h, held in the 2nd semester)
• language courses (160 h, yearlong), whose aim is to develop oral and written competence in the German language.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

This module intends to

• provide students with the theoretical and methodological tools to analyze the German language in its complexity and variety;
• bring students to the C1.2 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

- Basic objective oft the class (theory module) is to familiarize the students with vaious aspects of the contemporary German language and discrepancies between standard language and recent developments in oral and written language.

- Learning target of the class is to reach the C1.1 level (1st year) resp. C1.2 level (2nd year) in German language described in the guidelines of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment (CEFR).

- The objective of the course (theory module) is furthermore to introduce the topic of the contrast between oral and written German language and the current informalization of standard German, as well as the influence of contact languages in German speaking areas.

- Target of the practical language exercises is the acquisition of active and passive linguistic facilities in German and of competence in oral and written communication as requested in the guidelines for C1.1/C1.2 level of the CEF.

- After successful participation (theory module), students will have advanced knowledge about linguistic change and various categories of linguistic variation in modern German language.

- At the end of the course (theory module), students have acquired the linguistic competence to identify, categorize and analyze the differences between the written and oral registers of contemporary German and have knowledge about diachronic changes in contemporary German

PREREQUISITES

Language level B2 in German language is required for participation.

TEACHING METHODS

The theory lectures (30 lessons, 2nd semester) will be accompanied during the whole academic year by practical language exercises (80 lessons, yearlong). The theory lectures and the language classes begin in October 2024; the theory lectures start in the 2nd semester (February 2025); time schedules, programs, instructors and auditoriums will be published in Aulaweb and will be announced on the websites of the single instructors at the end of September 2024. The language exercises include yearlong lessons in translation (40).

Lecture accompanied by language exercises. The theory lectures and the practical language exercises will take place in form of traditional classroom teaching. Modifications subject to eventual provisions regarding the development of the sanitary situation will be announced in Aulaweb (Lingua tedesca 1 - LM37/38).

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

In the theory class, students will familiarize themselves with various aspects of the contemporary German language, such as areal and social variation, variation in specialized discourse, and the German language in contact with other languages in German-speaking countries and elsewhere. Another topic of the course will be the phenomenon of general linguistic change in contemporary German in terms of syntax, morphology, semantics, pragmatics, and phonetics. The special features of spoken German and their effects on the standard language will be examined and discussed.

The practical language exercises which include translation exercises will bring the students from B2 level to C1.1 level (according to the guidelines of the Common European Framework of Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment (CEF).

Not attending students: the program of the exams of the practical language exercises and of the theory class don’t differ from exams for students that take part in the lessons.

The program of the course is valid until February 2026 in accordance to the departmental regulation.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Theoretical module

• Andresen, Melanie / Zinsmeister, Heike: Korpuslinguistik, Tübingen: Narr, 2019.
• Braun, Peter: Tendenzen in der deutschen Gegenwartssprache, Stuttgart/Berlin/Köln: Kohlhammer, 19984.
• Elsen, Hilke: Neologismen, Tübingen: Narr, 2022.
• Freywald, Ulrike / Wiese, Heike u.a.: Deutsche Sprache der Gegenwart. Eine Einführung, Berlin: Metzler.
• Keller, Rudi: Sprachwandel. Von der unsichtbaren Hand der Sprache, Tübingen: Francke/UTB 2016.
• Moraldo, Sandro M.: Deutsch aktuell. Einführung in die Tendenzen der deutschen Gegenwartssprache 2, Roma: Carocci, 2011.
• Neuland, Eva: Soziolinguistik der deutschen Sprache. Tübingen: Narr/Francke/Attempto/UTB, 2018.
• Schwitalla, Johannes: Gesprochenes Deutsch. Eine Einführung, Berlin: Erich Schmidt, 2003.

Further bibliographical and didactic material will be provided during the semester (Aulaweb).

Applied module

- Vielfalt Deutsch als Fremdsprache - Kurs- und Arbeitsbuch C1.1, Hueber
2024 und
- Vielfalt Deutsch als Fremdsprache - Kurs- und Arbeitsbuch C1.2, Hueber
2024
- Jin, Friederike/Voß, Ute: Grammatik aktiv B2-C1, Cornelsen.

Further teaching materials will be communicated at the beginning of the semester by the lecturers and in Aulaweb.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

Theoretical module: 30 hours, 2nd semester: February 2025. 

Language learning modules: 1st + 2nd semester: 30 September 2024

Class schedule

GERMAN LANGUAGE I

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Theory class:

written exam (50% del final mark)

Language exercises:

1st year

written exam (essay writing) +

written translation exam (German-Italian)+

oral exam

(average of the marks of the exercise exams: 50% of the final mark)

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The theory lessons will be concluded by an oral exam in which the arguments treated during the class will be asked about. The languages classes will be completed by written exams and an oral exam. During the oral exam at the end of the theory class the students have to provide evidence of their profound knowledge of the arguments dealt with during the lessons, the designed texts and the materials published in Aulaweb.

Inscription for the exams on the homepage of the University of Genoa (www.unige.it) at the link „servizi online per gli studenti“.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Target group

The exam is obligatory for students in the first year of the master course in "Modern Languages and Literatures for cultural Services" LM 37/38

Credits

The total exam consisting in theory class and language exercises is equivalent to 9 credit points.

Language: 

• Theory class: Lessons will be held in German.
• Language learning courses: Lessons will be held mainly in German.

Students with certified special educational needs (DSA)
Students who have valid certification of physical or learning disabilities on file with the University and who wish to discuss possible accommodations or other circumstances regarding lectures, coursework and exams, should speak both with the instructor and with Prof. Sara Dickinson (sara.dickinson@unige.it), the Department’s disability liaison.