OVERVIEW

INTRODUCTION TO SEMANTICS AND PRAGMATICS OF THE GERMAN LANGUAGE

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The goal of the course is to provide students with advanced skills and knowledge regarding metalinguistic analysis, and to delve into individual aspects, including several sector-specific languages. The course includes the support of exercises, organised by language assistants, translators and interpreters, aimed at the practical learning of the language, of advanced translation and of liaison interpreting.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Aims of the course are:

- acquisition of basic knowledge about linguistic semantics of German language in contrastive perspective with Italian language

- to have command of the main theories of linguistic pragmatics and speech act theory

- to be competent in analyzing statements in German language according to pragmalinguistic criteria

- to be familiar with the methods of conversation analysis

- to achieve knowledge in contrastive and intercultural pragmatics

PREREQUISITES

Language level B1 in German language is required for participation.

TEACHING METHODS

Lecture with language exercises

The theory lectures (36 lessons) will be accompanied by yearlong practical exercises in translation from German to Italian, text revision and interpreting (see programs published in Aulaweb and on the websites of the single instructors that will be announced in September 2026).

Lessons will be held in German language.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

In the theory class students will familiarize with semantics and pragmatics of German language. At the beginning of the class an introduction to linguistic semantics of the German language is scheduled, considering the linguistic terminology also in German language and furthermore contrastive issues aiming on translation from German into Italian language and vice versa will be taken in consideration. Subject of the module will be different issues of semantics as for example homonymy, polysemy, synonymy, hypernymy, semantic fields, the theory of semantic features and cases of semantic ambiguity.

The second principal topic of the theoretical module is linguistic pragmatics, especially will be addressed arguments such as direct and indirect speech acts, cooperative principles, conversational implicatures and methods of conversation analysis. Moreover relevant issues of contrastive and intercultural pragmatics will be considered. The theoretical module is meant to familiarize students with the above mentioned linguistic themes in order to provide them with basic knowledge for a better comprehension of written and oral texts as well as of various varieties of the German present-day language.

The program of the course is valid until February 2028 in accordance to the departmental regulation.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Theoretical module:

Di Meola, Claudio: La linguistica tedesca, Roma: Bulzoni, 2014.

Ehrhardt, Claus / Heringer, Hans Jürgen: Pragmatik, Stuttgart: UTB, 2011.

Koesters Gensini, Sabine: Le parole del tedesco: Tipi, strutture, relazioni, uso, Roma: Carocci, 2009.

Pittner, Karin / Bermann, Judith: Deutsche Syntax. Ein Arbeitsbuch, Tübingen: Gunter Narr, 2004.

Meibauer, Jörg: Pragmatik, Tübingen: Stauffenburg, 20082.

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

Applied module

Didactic material will be communicated at the beginning of the semester in Aulaweb.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

Theory Module: start at the end of February 2027 (II semester)

Language practice: start at the end of february 2027 (II semester)

Class schedule

GERMAN LANGUAGE AND TRANSLATION III

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Theory class: oral exam (40% del final mark)

Language exercises:

written exam (translation German-Italian) +

written exam (text revision German-Italian) +

oral exam (interpretation)

(average of the marks of the exercise exams: 60% of the final mark)

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

ASSESSMENT METHODS

Modalities of exam: The theory lessons will be concluded by an oral exam in which the arguments treated during the class will be asked about. The translation and text revision exercises will be completed by written exams and the interpreting lessons by an oral exam. During the oral exam at the end of the theory class the students have to bring forward an argument by their own choice and to provide evidence of their profound knowledge of the arguments dealt with during the lessons, of the designed texts and of the materials published in Aulaweb. Part of the exam evaluation consists in the capability to express scientific arguments adequately in German language.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Credits:

The total exam consisting in theory class and language exercises is equivalent to 12 credit points.

Languages:

Language level B1 in German language is required for participation.

Target group:

The exam is obligatory for students in the third year of the course of studies in Theories and techniques of language mediation.

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.