Italian, but the course can easily be taught in English
Course Content
1) The course introduces the principal features of classical Sanskrit: phonetics, devanāgarī script, grammar (with simple translation exercises).
2) Introduction to Sanskrit Literature: vedic saṃhitās, upaniṣats, purāṇas, the epics Mahābhārata and Rāmāyaṇa. To learn of Indian ancient civilisation students shall read one of the suggested texts of Indian history, up to the year 1000.
Language. Two texts, C. Della Casa, Corso di Sanscrito, Unicopli, Milano 2002; A. Acklujkar, Corso di Sanscrito, Hoepli, Milano 2012.
Literature. Specific chapters from either of these two texts: G. Boccali, S. Piano, S. Sani, Le letterature dell’India, UTET, Torino 2000; or V. Pisani, L. P. Mishra, Le letterature dell’India, Sansoni/Accademia, Milano 1970.
Learning Objectives
Knowledge: The course offers a basic knowledge of the main aspects of Sanskrit grammar, from script to phonology, from morphology to the formation of nominal compounds. Knowledge of the devanāgarī script shall permit the students to read simple contemporary texts (such as shop signs, street names and road signs, as well as bus time tables) in Hindi, in Marathi and in Nepali.
Knowledge of Sanskrit literature shall allow students to discover the extraordinary contribution of India to world culture.
Competences: Language: students shall be able to engage with different aspects of a complex verbal system, they shall decline several nominal bases, form compounds of four different types, correctly interpret the sandhi phenomenon, beside gaining a basic Sanskrit vocabulary.
Literature: Students shall form a notion of the gigantic Sanskrit literature and of its diverse literary genres also through texts read in translation, introduced during lectures. They shall also learn to use the principal bibliographical and informatics instruments to study this discipline.
Prerequisites
Excellent knowledge of the Italian language (except in the case the course is taught in English; then an excellent knowledge of English is required), aptitude for the study of foreign languages and their relative morphological systems.
Teaching Methods
Lectures of Sanskrit grammar and literature; translation practice.
Further information
Altre info: Mandatory attendance is required for at least the 2/3 of the course. No special examinations are intended for non-attending students, except for students with a part-time enrollment. These must contact the teaching staff at the beginning of the course in order to get a specific program.
Type of Assessment
There are oral examinations also for non-attending students, or Erasmus students. The final examination shall consist of a few questions on grammar, an example of translation from a Sanskrit text analyzed in the course, and a couple of questions on Sanskrit literature.
The examination aims to verify:
1) The student’s knowledge of the basic principles of Sanskrit grammar and its terminology.
2) The student’s capacity to recognize features of the proposed Sanskrit sentences, such as for instance sandhi or conjugation/declension, and to translate them into Italian (or English in the case the course was taught in English).
3) The student’s knowledge of the principal works of Sanskrit literature, and their capacity to describe them.
It is necessary to show a sufficient level of knowledge in both grammar and literature in order to pass the examination
The final evaluation consists in the ensemble of the evaluations obtained in both parts.