GERMANIC PHILOLOGY 2 MOD. 2

This module is aimed at preparing students in the field of Language Sciences to improve their analytic skills by familiarising themselves with the major characteristics of some Germanic languages as well as with the dynamics of transmission of texts in medieval manuscript culture. The skills are listed below in detail. This module is taught in English

Student Learning Objectives (SLO):
- to acquire knowledge and understanding in advanced topics of Germanic Philology by being exposed to both the current theoretical debate and its applications to a specific literary genre. This knowledge and understanding will be founded upon and will extend that typically associated with the first cycle; it will also provide a basis for originality in developing and/or applying ideas, often within a research context (see below, under "Contents");
- to apply their knowledge and understanding, as well as problem solving abilities in new or unfamiliar environments within broader contexts related to Germanic Philology with particular reference to textual criticism and advanced reading skills;
- to have the ability to integrate knowledge and handle complexity, and formulate judgments with incomplete or limited information about their object of study (this is a typical situation in the philological field). The ability to formulate judgements will include reflecting on social and ethical responsibilities linked to the application of their knowledge (e.g. the educational and social impact of editions);
- to be able to communicate their conclusions, and the knowledge and rationale underpinning these, to specialist and non-specialist audiences clearly and unambiguously, using the appropriate language register;
- to acquire advanced learning skills that should allow them to continue to study in a manner that may be largely self-directed or autonomous (e.g. through individual independent reading on philological issues, as well as advanced practice exercises on theories, models and forms).

No specific prerequisites are required. The basic notions necessary to tackle the main topics listed in the content section (see below) will be provided by the teacher at the beginning of the course. However, students are reminded that this is an advanced MA course, so the teaching will be organized in regular lectures combined with team as well as independent work.

A) Advanced topics of Middle English language and textual tradition (e.g. romances) from a comparative perspective (Middle English vs other Germanic and Romance traditions).
B) Discussion of specific case-studies taken from the matter of Robin Hood (medieval ballads on Robin Hood and related texts).
c) Modern rewrites

PARTS A and B
Holt, J.C. (1982ff.). Robin Hood, London: Thames & Hudson;
Knight, Stephen (2003ff.). Robin Hood, a mythic biography, Ithaca and London: Cornell UP.
Original texts: https://d.lib.rochester.edu/robin-hood/authors
PART C
Italian-speaking students: Buzzoni, M. (2013). L'appropriazione di una leggenda, https://edizionicafoscari.unive.it/v4/it/edizioni4/libri/978-88-97735-30-4/ ; Buzzoni, M. (2023). La materia hoodiana nel contesto plurilingue e multiculturale del medioevo europeo in SPOLIA, vol. 24, pp. 55-69
English-speaking students: Cuenca, E. L., (2023) “‘Normans’ vs. ‘Saxons’: Cinematic Imaginaries of Race and Nation in Angevin England, 1938–1964”, Open Library of Humanities 9(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.16995/olh.9397

The written exam consists in four (4) open questions, and lasts 90 minutes. Open questions allow to test critical thought, as well as the capacity of mastering the subject.
More specifically:
- Knowledge and understanding: checked through content questions;
- Applying knowledge and understanding: checked through practical exercises, such as translations and linguistic manipulations;
- Making judgements: checked through methodological questions;
- Communication skills: checked through open questions (whether students ommunicate their conclusions clearly and unambiguously, as well as the knowledge and rationale underpinning these);
- Learning skills: evaluation of the students' autonomy of judgement.

written

The lecturer has a duty to ensure that the rules regarding the authenticity and originality of exam tests and papers are respected. Therefore, if there is suspicion of irregular conduct, an additional assessment may be conducted, which could differ from the original exam description.

Question 1: theoretical foundations for the analysis of medieval Germanic texts, both in verse and prose – up to 6 points.
Question 2: translation and analysis of a short text examined in class – up to 7 points.
Question 3: translation and analysis of a short passage taken from a work studied in class – up to 8 points.
Question 4: theoretical and applied aspects of rewritings – up to 9 points, with distinction.
The final mark is calculated as the sum of the partial scores.
Within each question (already weighted in terms of points), the grading is determined by the following criteria:
- knowledge of the topics covered in lectures and in the reference manuals (34%);
- ability to hierarchise information (33%);
- appropriate use of technical terminology (33%).

Lectures and teacher-led discussions

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Human capital, health, education" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development