The principal focus is on the civilization of the language studied, investigated through its texts, translated either in Italian or in English, that shall vary depending on the civilization that has produced them. For ancient India, texts from the Hindu, Jain and Buddhist traditions shall be studied, as well as traditional medical literature, āyurveda.
Excerpts from: Somadeva, L'oceano dei fiumi dei racconti (Kathāsartitsāgara), Torino Einaudi 1993, F. Baldissera, V. Mazzarino, M.P. Vivanti (eds. and trsl.); La Bhagavadgītā, Anne Marie Esnoul (ed. and trsl.), Adelphi, Milano 2006; L.P. Tessitori, Studi giainici, Società Indologica Luigi Pio Tessitori, Udine 2000; La rivelazione del Buddha. Il grande veicolo, C. Cicuzza, A. Ferrari, R. Gnoli, M. Maggi, C. Pecchia, C. Pensa, M. S. Saccone, F. Sferra, A. Sironi (eds. and trsl.), Mondadori, Milano 2004. (In case the course is held in English, English translations of the chosen texts shall be provided at the beginning of the course.)
Learning Objectives
Knowledge: Students shall learn to deal with different types of translation
Competence: Students shall be able to translate simple texts from their chosen language, and to evaluate the relative merit of the different translations presented in the seminar
Behaviour:
- stimulus to a responsible use of the University structures, of the CdS, of the instruments that orient and organize students’ careers
- stimulus to behaviours of intellectual participation, and to a correct and useful teacher-student relationship
- stimulus to a civil and shared use of the study resources of the CdS and of the Scuola
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
Teaching Methods
The first part shall be a normal lecture, while for the practical part the students shall have to tackle different examples of translations
Further information
Students should attend most of the seminar course. If attendance is impossible, students should state this at the beginning of the course, in order to be given a special program of studies
Type of Assessment
There are oral examinations also for non-attending students, or Erasmus students. Questions shall relate to the texts and the problems discussed during the seminar, and shall vary according to the chosen language.
The examination aims to verify:
1) The student’s knowledge of the texts examined during the seminar and different ways of translating them
2) The student’s capacity to recognize the best way to translate them into Italian (or English in the case the course was taught in English).
It is necessary to show a sufficient level of knowledge in order to pass the examination
Course program
The course aims at meeting the interests of students reading different Oriental languages, and is thus extremely flexible, as it has to adapt to different typologies of civilization and literature.
The Indian section, for instance, shall consist of readings from the Kathāsaritsāgara, the Jain story collections and the Buddhist Canon.