This course is addressed to absolute beginners as an introduction to the fundamentals of Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) grammar and phonology. Students will be presented with Arabic script and orthographic rules and will acquire a basic vocabulary to engage in simple conversations and reading comprehension. The cycle also aims at providing a methodology which will enable participants to improve autonomously their production skills.

• The alphabet
• Phonology and script
• Scientific transliteration
• Morphology in general
• The article and suffix personal pronouns
• Agreement rules
• Nominal sentences
• The construct phrase (idafa)
• The five nouns
• Verbal sentences
• Verb derivation patterns (forms II through V)
• Moods of the verb (indicative, subjunctive, jussive)
• Negative verbal markers
• The verb Laysa
• Interrogatives
• Functions of demonstratives
• Definite relative clauses
• Verbal nouns and active/passive participles

No prerequisite is needed. However, students should be acquainted with the basics of Italian grammar.

Knowledge and understanding: students will learn the basic rules for reading and writing Arabic, as well as a basic vocabulary which will enable them to engage in simple conversations about familiar matters.

Applying knowledge and understanding: students will be able to comprehend basic expressions of daily use.

Making judgements: students will be able to discern between native language patterns and Arabic structures.

Communication: students will be able to express simple basic needs both in written and oral form.

Learning skills: this course will supply students with the necessary tools for deepening their knowledge of the Arabic language and culture.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

Arabic training classes (6 hours per week).

Teaching

The duration of the course is 30 hours roughly distributed on 10 weeks time, 2 lessons per week.

Theoretical explanations on  verbs morphology and simple structures will be provided together with practical exercises to verify and validate the acquired knowledge. A special focus will be given to practicing receptive and productive skills, enabling students to engage in oral production. Further translation tasks will help underpin the grammatical structures addressed in the class. Synopsis and handouts will be distributed along the course.

Attendance

Arabic training classes attendance is highly recommended (6 hours per week).

Course books

Veccia Vaglieri L., Avino M., “Grammatica teorico-pratica della lingua araba, Istituto per l’Oriente, Roma.

Foreign students who are unacquainted with Italian may also use:

Ryding C. K., “A Reference Grammar of Modern Standard Arabic”, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.

Assessment

The final examination is divided into two parts:

Written test

the written test is divided in four different exercises:

- transformation tasks testing the knowledge of root/pattern verbal morphology

- conjugation task

- a vocalization task, testing reading/comprehension skills

- translation task, testing the ability to apply the syntactic rules.

Oral exam

Students will first be asked to review their own written test to seize on possible mistakes or inaccuracies. Then, they will be called on to prove their ability to apply knowledge and comprehension, by reading, translating and analysing an excerpt from one of the texts handed out during the module. Lastly they will be asked to transform a given triliteral root into one of its derivations.

Individual marks will be assigned for each written module (Written production / Reading and comprehension / Written test) added together and averaged out. Likewise all marks assigned for oral abilities (Dictation / Conversation / Oral exam) will be added together and averaged out.

Written and oral marks are finally added together and averaged to give the final mark.

Students attendance and their overall performance during classes shall be taken into account in the assessment.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Teaching

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Attendance

Students unable to attend classes are strongly recommended to get in touch with the professor prior to the beginning of the course.

Course books

As listed above for attending students.

Assessment

As illustrated above for attending students.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

The exam can be taken in any of the scheduled sessions and may also be split in two different sessions (eg: written test in July and oral test in September).

Extra study material, synopsis and exercises will be available on moodle.