The course will address the study of the phonological and phonetic peculiarities of modern Russian. The phonetics segment will also include the  fundamentals of the history of the Russian language and some essential information on the geo-sociolinguistics of Russia today.

1.   The Cyrillic alphabet: sounds and script

1.1  The origin of the Cyrillic alphabet

1.2 The origins of Russian literary language

1.3 The reforms of the Cyrillic alphabet in Russia

1.4 The transliteration systems. Scientific and commercial transliteration.

2. Phonetics and phonology in contemporary Russian

The Russian vowels and consonants

The classification of vowels

Vowel reduction

The classification of consonants

Palatalized and non-palatalized consonants

Voiced and unvoiced consonants

Soft consonants

Hard consonants

Occlusive consonants

Fricatives

Affricate consonants

Vowel and consonant phonemes

Key vowel and consonant alternations

3. The geo-socio-linguistic framework of present-day Russia

3.1 The languages​​, religions and cultures within the Russian Federation

3.2 Russian as a means of interethnic communication

3.3 Where Russian is spoken in the world

Knowledge and conprehension skills: students acquire both knowledge of the origins of the cyrillic alphabet and its reform in diachronic terms, and the synchronic character of contemporary Russian phonetics and phonology. They will gain an overall awareness of the sociolinguistic situation in the Russian Federation and the most important varieties of Russian existing within its boundaries.

Applied knowledge and comprehension skills: students will be able to apply the basic principles of Russian phonetics and phonology (vowel reduction, palatalisation, voiced and devoiced consonanats) when reading simple texts and in conversation at beginner level (A1).

Autonomy of judgement: Knowledge of the origins of the cyrillic alaphabet and literary Russian will be useful for the study of word formation, in particular for identifying slavisms in contemporary Russian. Students will be able to distinguish palatalised and non-palatalised sounds, and to recognise akan’e, okan’e and ikan’e. They will be able to assess political measures and interventions effecting Russian in ex-USSR countries.

Communicative skills: Students will be able to communicate in Russian at an elementary level.

Learning skills: students will acquire the basic tools and notions necessary for the study of Russian at elementary level.

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

Teaching

Teacher-fronted lectures

Interactive lectures

Course books

Cavazza, A. Elementi di lingua e di cultura russa, in Insegnare italiano a stranieri: percorsi operativi, a cura di G. Carloni, Francoangeli, Milano, 2015, pp. 152-166.

Fici Giusti, F., Gebert, L., Signorini S., La lingua russa, La Nuova Italia Scientifica, Roma, 1991, p. 18 nota n. 1.

Garzaniti, M., Gli Slavi, culture e lingue dalle origini ai nostri giorni, Carocci, Roma, 2019, pp. 135-156; 160-168; 175; 184-189, 2a ed.

Kasatkin L., Kryyysin L., Živov V., Il russo, Scandicci (Firenze) 1995, pp. 3-13; 24-27; 87-100; 155-172; 247-264.

Kasatkin L., Kryyysin L., Živov V., Il russo, Scandicci (Firenze) 1995, pp. 3-13; 24-27; 87-100; 155-172; 247-264.

Lasorsa, C., Il russo, Mosca 1983, pp. 7-51.

Mazzitelli, G., Ancora sul problema della traslitterazione dei caratteri cirillici, in “Bollettino AIB”, ISSN 1121-1490, vol.48, n.4 (dic. 2008), pp. 343-357.

Saronne, E.T., Alberti, A., Chi sono gli Slavi?, Bologna 2002, pp. 114-117.

Tachiaos, A.-E. N., Cirillo e Metodio. Le radici cristiane della cultura slava, ediz. it. a cura di M. Garzaniti, tr. it. di F. Romoli, Milano 2005, 23-37; 71-105.

Uspenskij, B.A., Storia della lingua letteraria russa, tr. di N. Marcialis, Bologna 1993, pp. 11-87.

Assessment

Oral and written exams and language test.

The final exam will assess metalinguistic knowledge and language skills at the required level. In particular, assessment will test the following skills: writing (33% of all marks), oral (33%), and metalinguistic knowledge (33%).

The metalinguistic exam (“monographic course”) is a written test. It consists of 30 multiple choice  questions in Italian, principally to assess both acquired knowledge and applied comprehension skills. The use of dictionaries is not permitted during this test. Criteria for the assessment of the test are:

- pertinence and correctness of answers in relation to contents of programme

- ability to apply knowledge to specific cases

- ability to reflect critically on concepts and processes

- knowledge of the metalanguage

Any mark for the “monographic” course below 18/30 is not a pass.

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.

Attendance

Students unable to attend lectures are requested to contact the teacher at the beginning or end of the course.

Course books

Cavazza, A. Elementi di lingua e di cultura russa, in Insegnare italiano a stranieri: percorsi operativi, a cura di G. Carloni, Francoangeli, Milano, 2015, pp. 152-166.

Fici Giusti, F., Gebert, L., Signorini S., La lingua russa, La Nuova Italia Scientifica, Roma, 1991, p. 18 nota n. 1.

Garzaniti, M., Gli Slavi, culture e lingue dalle origini ai nostri giorni, Carocci, Roma, 2019, pp. 135-156; 160-168; 175; 184-189, 2a ed.

Kasatkin L., Kryyysin L., Živov V., Il russo, Scandicci (Firenze) 1995, pp. 3-13; 24-27; 87-100; 155-172; 247-264.

Kasatkin L., Kryyysin L., Živov V., Il russo, Scandicci (Firenze) 1995, pp. 3-13; 24-27; 87-100; 155-172; 247-264.

Lasorsa, C., Il russo, Mosca 1983, pp. 7-51.

Mazzitelli, G., Ancora sul problema della traslitterazione dei caratteri cirillici, in “Bollettino AIB”, ISSN 1121-1490, vol.48, n.4 (dic. 2008), pp. 343-357.

Saronne, E.T., Alberti, A., Chi sono gli Slavi?, Bologna 2002, pp. 114-117.

Tachiaos, A.-E. N., Cirillo e Metodio. Le radici cristiane della cultura slava, ediz. it. a cura di M. Garzaniti, tr. it. di F. Romoli, Milano 2005, 23-37; 71-105.

Uspenskij, B.A., Storia della lingua letteraria russa, tr. di N. Marcialis, Bologna 1993, pp. 11-87.

Assessment

Oral and written exams and language test.

The final exam will assess metalinguistic knowledge and language skills at the required level. In particular, assessment will test the following skills: writing (33% of all marks), oral (33%), and metalinguistic knowledge (33%).

The metalinguistic exam (“monographic course”) is a written test. It consists of 30 multiple choice  questions in Italian, principally to assess both acquired knowledge and applied comprehension skills. The use of dictionaries is not permitted during this test. Criteria for the assessment of the test are:

- pertinence and correctness of answers in relation to contents of programme

- ability to apply knowledge to specific cases

- ability to reflect critically on concepts and processes

- knowledge of the metalanguage

Any mark for the “monographic” course below 18/30 is not a pass.

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.