ENGLISH LINGUISTICS AND TRANSLATION

1.Knowledge and understanding

Knowledge of the vocabulary, morphosyntactic and pragmatic aspects of the English language at C1+ level (CEFR). Being familiar with the development and spread of the English Language and of the sociolinguistic level connected to it. Knowledge of the strategies by means a language connects to the social context and influences it.

Knowledge and understanding of how a verbal or multimodal text can be analysed and understood by means of sociolinguistic tools of inquiry. Being aware of the main translation strategies and translation tools.

2.Applying knowledge and understanding

Being able to identify the main language items necessary to perform a fruitful analysis of texts from a sociolinguistic point of view, including those related to the various text types or to the exploitation of emotions. Being able to apply the acquired knowledge to translate texts of various types. Being able to apply the acquired knowledge to different types of texts, placing them in a given social context to highlight how the language, together with emotions, can be a tool of persuasion, influence, and discrimination.

3. Making judgements

Drawing on the acquired knowledge and skills, being able to autonomously recognise linguistic and semiotic items, also informed by emotions, relevant to the analysis of a text in a given social context.

4. Communication skills

Achievement of the C1+ level competence of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), as for both written and oral skills.

5. Learning skills

Self-assessment of the acquired language skills; awareness of one's own learning needs and goals; ability to understand and interpret a text in English for professional growth; ability to express one's own thoughts in English in different contexts and for different communicative purposes; ability to use varied sources of information.

Lectures and language practice classes.

The course is entirely taught in English.

The course focuses on the sociolinguistics of the English Language with reference to its spread.

MODULE A – English Sociolinguistics

The module focuses on the complexity of the English language from a sociolinguistic point of view starting from the spread of the language to analyse its role in our current times. It presents the various models devised to depict the spread of the English language and how the latter is linked to some key historical events.
MODULE B – Nigerian English and Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie

Strictly linked to Module A, Module B is devoted to the description and analysis of English in Nigeria and focuses on its social role, moving from the works of Nigerian writer and activist Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie it describes its linguistic and cultural features,  the question it raises from a translational point of view and the social role a language may play.

MODULE C - English Varieties and Translation

Module C is dedicated to the analysis of Chiamamanda Ngozie Adichie’s works from a translational point of view focussing on the problems that the use of English Varieties may raise.

MODULO A

1.      Holmes, Janet & Wilson, Nick, 2022, An Introduction to Sociolinguistics, 6th edition, Abingdon : Routlegde

-          Chap. 1 What do sociolinguistics study ? pp 1 – 20

-          Chap. 4 Linguistic varieties and multilingual nations pp. 109 – 138

-          Chap. 5 Nationa languages, Language policy, and language planning pp. 140- 180

-          Chap. 6 Regional and social dialects pp. 185 – 220

-          Chap. 9 Language change pp. 287 – 327

-          Interlude : identity in sociolinguistics pp. 329-333

-          Chap. 10 Style, context and register pp. 339 – 385

 

2.      Buschfeld, Sarah and Kautzsch, Alexander. (2020) Modelling World Englishes: A Joint Approach to Postcolonial and Non-Postcolonial Varieties, Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press

-          Chap. 1  Introduction  parag. 1 pp. 1 – 8

 

3.       Filippula, Markku, Klemola, Juhani & Sharma, Devyani (eds), (2017) The Oxford Handbook of World Englishes, Oxford : Oxford University Press

-          Chap. 3  Models of English in the World pp. 35 – 57

 

4.      Okpeh, P. O and Udaa, J. I. (2021). The Emergence of an « Intersecting Circle » in Kachru’s Three Concentric Circles of World Englishes : A Case of Ethno-linguistic Neutrality in Central Nigeria. Lingual: Journal of Language & Culture Volume 12, No.2.

 

 

MODULE B

6.      Jowitt, David, 2019, Nigerian English, Boston/Berlin: Mouton De Gruyter

-          Introduction pp. 1 – 35

 

7.      Ekpenyong, M.E., Udoh, I.I. (eds) (2022). Current Issues in Descriptive Linguistics and Digital Humanities. Singapore: Springer:

-          Ugo-Ochulo, N.I. (2022). The Nativisation of English Language in Chimamanda Adichie’s Collection of Short Stories, The Thing Around Your Neck, pp. 251 – 266

 

8.      Aboh, R., and Happiness, U.  The Pragmatics of Nigerian English in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Novels (September 1, 2016). Journal of Language and Education, 2016, 2(3), 6-13. doi: 10.17323/2411-7390-2016-2-3-6-13, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3060537

 

9.      Forna, A. (2006). New Writing and Nigeria, EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY, 21:1, pp. 50-57.

 

10.  Landry, A. (2018).  Black Is Black Is Black?  MELUS, WINTER 2018, Vol. 43, No. 4. pp. 127– 147

 

11.  Mukherjee, R. (2020). Determining Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Position in the African Literarature-Language Debate. The Indian Review of World Literature In English vol. 16 II, pp. 1 – 3

 

MODULO C

 

12.  Bennet. K and Queiroz de Barros, R. (2019). Hybrid Englishes and the Challenges of/for Translation. Identity, Mobility and Language Change. Abingdon : Routledge.

Chap. 1 Introduction pp 1– 17

Chap. 7 « I Have Taken Ownership of English »: Translating Hybridity in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Transcultural Writing pp. 114 – 126

 

 

13. Esplin, M. (2018). The Right Not to Translate: The Linguistic Stakes of Immigration in Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Americanah. Research in African Literatures , Vol. 49, No. 2 (Summer 2018), pp. 73 – 86

 

14. Yeibo, E. and Comfort. A., (2015). A Lexico-Semantic Reading of Chimamanda Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus. International Journal of Language and Literature. 3. 144-155. 10.15640/ijll.v3n2a15.

 

15. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie., (2009). The Danger of a Single Story. Available at https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/the-danger-of-a-single-story

 

Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie’s work – a choice of two:

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. (2005). Purple Hibiscus. pp. 240

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. (2009). The Things Around Your Neck. pp. 218

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. (2013). Americanah. pp. 450

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. (2015). We Should All Be Feminist. pp. 64

 

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