LANGUAGE AND ACCESSIBILITY

This course aims at discussing complex structures of Italian from the viewpoint of contemporary linguistic research, in a comparative perspective with other languages and with dialects, and at dealing with the topic of language simplification and accessibility to contents in different environments (administrative, cultural, educational).
Aim of the course is to develop the skill of formal analysis of language, with a focus on the syntax of Italian, also to the aim of designing accessiiblity projects. Students will develop skills to analyse syntactic constructions in context and to conduct research in linguistics.

1. Knowledge and understanding
The student knows the recent analyses on the grammar of Italian and on complexity aspects.
The student knows the phenomena of Italian in the context of language use, in particular in view of language accessibility.
The student has full understanding of the technical terminology and the main methodologies that allow to do research on Italian.

2. Applying knowledge and understanding
The student knows how to use the hypotheses of formal linguistics to describe and understand aspects of Italian.
The student knows how to use the technical terminology in all stages of application, e.g. when analysing new data or when teaching Italian.
The student knows how to collect and analyze new Italian data and to simplify texts.

3. Making judgements
The student is able to formulate empirically and theoretically grounded hypotheses on Italian data.
The student is able to provide relevant data from Italian in favour or against different hypotheses about complexity.

4. Communication skills
The student is able to write with sound argumentation and appropriate terminology about the topics discussed during the course.
The student is able to elaborate on one of the topics discussed during the course.
During class, the student is able to ask questions and discuss with peers and professors in a critical and respectful manner.

5. Learning skills:
The student is able to develop critical thinking.
The student is able to share information, hypotheses, linguistic problems and solutions on Italian data.
The student is able to look for and select bibliographical resources to study Italian data.

Good knowledge of linguistics and syntactic theory.

The following topics will be discussed:
1. lexical, morphological and syntactic complexity
2. Italian complex sentences: constructions derived by movement (interrogative and cleft sentences; relative clauses; focalizations)
3. complexity and simplification strategies for accessibility
4. easy-to-read language
5. the role of complexity in explicit teaching of syntactic structures
6. accessible language testing

The following texts will be discussed:

1.
Bulté B., A. Housen, G. Pallotti (2024), Complexity and difficulty in SLA: a theoretical and methodological overview, Language Learning 75:2, pp. 533–574
Jakubowicz C. (2011) Measuring derivational complexity, Lingua 121, pp. 339-351.
Voghera (2001) Riflessioni su semplificazione, complessità e modalità di trasmissione: sintassi e semantica. In Scritto e parlato. Metodi, testi e contesti, Roma, Aracne, pp. 65-78.

2.
Benincà P. (2001), L’ordine degli elementi della frase e le costruzioni marcate, in L. Renzi, G. Salvi e A. Cardinaletti (eds), Grande grammatica italiana di consultazione, Bologna, il Mulino, Vol.1: pp. 129-162. (nuova edizione 2022, Padova, Libreriauniversitaria.it, con aggiunte e correzioni)

3.
Orletti F. (eds.), Comunicare il patrimonio culturale. Accessibilità comunicativa, tecnologie e sostenibilità, Milano, FrancoAngeli, open access
Borghi, M. (2018), Il testo semplificato semplifica la vita? Breve indagine sull’efficacia dei testi ad alta leggibilità nella comprensione testuale degli studenti stranieri, Italiano LinguaDue 1, 373-394.

4.
Sciumbata, F. C. (2020). Il linguaggio facile da leggere e da capire per persone con disabilità intellettive: nuove linee guida per l'italiano e applicazione a testi di promozione turistica del Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Tesi dottorato. https://hdl.handle.net/11390/1185919
Sciumbata, F. C. (2022). Manuale dell’italiano facile da leggere e da capire, Firenze: Franco Cesati Editore.

5.
Thompson C., L.P. Shapiro (2007), Complexity in Treatment of Syntactic Deficits, American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology 16, pp. 30–42
Volpato F., G. Bozzolan (2017), Explicit Teaching of Syntactic Movement in Passive Sentences and Relative Clauses. The Case of a Romanian/Italian Sequential Bilingual Child, Annali di Ca’ Foscari. Serie occidentale 51, 357-381

6.
Cardinaletti, A. (2018) Test linguistici accessibili per studenti sordi e con DSA, FrancoAngeli.
Cardinaletti A. (2021) On accessible language testing for students with disabilities, MEDIAZIONI 31, pp. 32-53

Further readings will be made available on the Moodle platform of the Course.

Reference grammar:
Renzi L., G. Salvi, A. Cardinaletti (eds.) (2001), Grande grammatica italiana di consultazione, il Mulino, Bologna, 3 voll. (new edition 2022, Padova, Libreriauniversitaria.it, with additions and corrections)

Written exam (2 hours), consisting of 9 open-ended questions with the aim of verifying the acquisition of abilities to analyze data coming from studies on Italian and to simplify texts.
Written term paper (10 pages) on one of the topics discussed in the course, to be prepared with another student. The topic should be approved by the instructor.

written

Each open-ended question is assigned a maximum of 3 points.
3 points: very good knowledge and understanding of the discussed topics; very good ability to analyse linguistic data; very good ability to use sound argumentation and appropriate terminology.
2 punti: good knowledge and understanding of the discussed topics; good ability to analyse linguistic data; good ability to use sound argumentation and appropriate terminology.
1 punto: sufficient knowledge and understanding of the discussed topics; sufficient ability to analyse linguistic data; sufficient ability to use sound argumentation and appropriate terminology.
The term paper is assigned a maximun of 3 points, with the same criteria.
30 cum laude marks excellent results.

Face-to-face lessons;
collaborative learning with peers;
individual tutoring by the teacher.

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