RUSSIAN LANGUAGE 2
- Overview
- Assessment methods
- Learning objectives
- Contents
- Full programme
- Bibliography
- Delivery method
- Teaching methods
- Contacts/Info
In order to successfully follow the course and pass the exam, it is necessary to already have a knowledge of the Russian language equal to level A1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (2001). Prerequisites: Russian language I
Learning will be verified through a final exam aimed at evaluating various language skills (between written/oral comprehension and written/oral expression), following the descriptors developed by the Common European Framework of Reference for languages (2001).
It consists of a written test and an oral test. The written test is preparatory to the oral one.
The written test is divided into: morpho-syntactic and lexical test, consisting of a series of exercises of various types; written production test (such as, for example, writing a short informal letter or a short narrative text) and comprehension of a short narrative or non-fiction text. The ability to understand will be tested thanks to a series of questions in Russian relating to the text given, to which the student is required to answer in writing. The use of vocabulary is not allowed. In the written test the spelling and grammar correctness, the expressive properties and the ability to understand Russian will be assessed.
The oral exam is divided into a conversation with the language expert and a final oral exam on the theoretical part of the course with the teacher. In the conversation, students will have to demonstrate the ability to maintain a dialogue on the topics studied during the exercises, expressing themselves correctly and with good pronunciation. In the final theoretical part they will have to demonstrate that they have acquired a theoretical knowledge of the Russian language, to be able to describe its functioning and specificities. Each of the tests is considered passed if each of its parts is evaluated with a result equal to or greater than 18/30.
Starting from theoretical reflections on linguistic phenomena, this course aims to study peculiarities of the Russian language system. The course aims to bring students who already possess basic morphosyntactic language knowledge to a level of linguistic competence comparable to that of A2-B1 (Предпороговый / Waystage- Пороговый / Threshold).
EXPECTED LEARNING RESULTS
At the end of the course, the student will be able to:
1. produce clear and detailed texts on a wide range of topics and express personal opinions according to the conventions specific to the genre (at level A2-B1);
2. recognize main morphosyntactic, lexical and textual characteristics of different registers;
3. recognize and understand stylistically connoted oral texts;
4. master lexicographical tools in print and online (dictionaries, lexicons).
Aspectual variation; meanings of aspectual couples; interaction of the aspect category with time; verbs of motion; specificities of case semantics; transitive verbs of motion with prefixes; verbs of position; reflexive verbs; semantic and grammatical properties of simple propositions; long and short form of adjectives; syntax of relative sentences; direct and indirect speech.
The first module will focus on an in-depth analysis of one of the most controversial issues in Russian linguistics: the theme of verbs of motion, which in addition to having the perfect prefix forms, systematically possess two imperfective forms for each verb. Finally, the study of nominal morphology will be completed, examining some specificities connected to the semantics of the cases.
The second module will continue the analysis of the Russian verbal system, focusing attention on transitive motion verbs with prefixes, positional verbs and reflexive verbs. We will then take into consideration the semantic and grammatical properties of the simple proposition, analyzing its nominal components. To complete the analysis of the adjectival system, the study of the complex relationship between the long and short form of adjectives will be addressed. Finally, the syntax of relative sentences and the rules governing direct to indirect speech will be examined.
All Power Point presentations of the course are available in the relative folder of the ELearning platform.
The texts adopted are:
Magnati, D., Legittimo Cichachev, F., Iashaiaeva, S. 2017. Davajte Comunicare in russo. VOL. 2. Milano: Hoepli.
Chavronina S. A. 2007. Il Russo. Esercizi. Roma: Il Punto Editoriale.
Non-attending students and those wishing to deepen individual aspects of the course are advised to read one or more of the following texts:
• F. Fici Giusti, L. Gebert, S. Signorini. 1991. La lingua russa. Storia, struttura, tipologia. Firenze: La Nuova Italia scientifica.
• P. Cubberley. 2002. Russian: A linguistic Introduction. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• A. Gančikov. 2004. Grammatica russo facile. Milano: Vallardi.
• К.И.Пехливанова, М.Н.Лебедева. 2007. Грамматика русского языка в иллюстрациях. Москва: Русский Язык.
• C. Cevese, Ju. Dobrovol’skaja, E. Magnanini. 2000. Grammatica Russa. Morfologia: Teoria e Esercizi. Milano: Hoepli.
• C. Cevese, Ju. Dobrovol’skaja. 2005. Sintassi Russa: Teoria e Esercizi. Milano: Hoepli.
The course will be delivered through lectures that will use Power-Point presentations, which will then be uploaded to the course folder on the ELearning platform.
It will be complemented by interactive language exercises held by linguistic experts, aimed at consolidating and expanding communication in the four skills. The subject of the laboratory lessons are: reading, writing and listening exercises; grammar exercises; expansion of the lexicon; practice in oral production (dialogical and monological).
Frequency of the laboratory lessons is mandatory and is part of the overall time commitment. Students will have to carry out self-study activities, which will be verified in the classroom. At the language laboratories, the sharing of acquired skills will be enacouraged with the purpose of training for mutual collaboration and comparison. There will be tests to check the skills acquired.
Students will also have access to a wide range of resources for deepening and strengthening knowledge of material learned in the self-access language laboratory.
The program is divided into two modules.
Frequency mode
Continuous attendance is strongly recommended. Non-attending students are requested to contact the teacher at the beginning of the academic year for an additional program.
Mother tongue students:
Only those who have an excellent spoken and written knowledge of standard Russian (литературный язык) will be considered as native Russian speakers. Native speakers will have to study the theoretical part of the course in order to explain the phonetic and morphosyntactic peculiarities of the Russian language system during the exam.
Office hours: Office 2.2. Via Bossi 5, 22100 Como or, if this is not possible due to force majeure, online via Teams. Students are invited to contact the teacher via email to make an appointment.