University
of Rome III _ School of Humanities _
Degree in Languages and International Communication |
Academic
Year: 2006-07
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Course
convener: Patrick Boylan _
Email:
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I-2
OCI, LL
First
Year English for
English minors (surnames A-Z, curriculum OCI or LL) |
Module
I. “Seeing
and saying things in English” (for
both curricula: OCI and LL) |
click
on the orangedots
cliccare
sui puntini
rossi
N.B.
I programmi dei moduli offerti nel 2006-07 non sono più
materia d'esame
dopo febbraio 2010; non verranno più
conservati dopo tale data
i compiti svolti dagli studenti né
i relativi voti assegnati.
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Students' |
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Want
to communicate with other students or the teacher? Use the
BULLETIN BOARD above:
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The “injustice” of the final exam: read the email of a student who contests the final exam held on June 14th – the discussion interests everyone. Click here |
Le “ingiustizie” dell'esame finale: leggi la email di una studentessa che contesta la prova del 14-6-07. La discussione interessa tutti. Cliccare qui. |
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Here
are the best Ethnographic Reports (Task 2 of Module II)
and the |
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Click
on the video cameras>
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1. |
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NOTE: This is what you are learning to do now, in your groups. For example when you discuss the marks for your Tasks, you are in effect “learning from” and “teaching” your fellow students what, according to you, it means to know something about English, an English-speaking double, Intercultural understanding, and so on. To
see what I am learning (and teaching), see: _______________________________________
AFTER today, MAY 2ND, NO MORE TASKS FOR MODULE 1. IF YOU HAVEN'T DONE THE TASK, YOU LOOSE THE POINTS.
AS FOR TASK 1 FOR MODULE II, THERE WILL BE ONE (AND ONLY ONE) EXTENSION TO NEXT MONDAY (MAY 7TH). AFTER THAT I WILL NOT ACCEPT ANY PAPERS. _______________________________________
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*Partial exams: To take the “partial exams” (esoneri), you must enroll in this course (use the form above). But no booking is required since they are not "real"exams -- they simply reduce the study load for the final exam (for which you must book). Each partial exam you pass eliminates one of the texts from the final exam and counts for a part of your final mark. But only the final mark goes on your libretto. |
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Syllabus |
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In
these Modules we will examine what language is "beyond words
and syntax" -- a move toward a
linguistics of parole
alongside
the traditional Saussurian linguistics of langue.
Then, on the basis of our wider
definition of language, we will attempt a cultural description of
"English" -- or rather, Englishes, as they exist in
today's globalized yet fragmented world. The
organizational aspects of the module -- requirements and credits,
evaluation |
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1.
Book: D. Crystal.1997. English as a
Global Language. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press. Available at university book stores. Note:
Attenders study chapters 2 and 5 for the final exam (the other
chapters will be explained and tested in class); non attenders
read all chapters (1 to 5) for the exam.
4.
Book: P.
Kistler & S. Konivuori (eds.), 2003, From
International Exchanges to Intercultural Communication,
Jyväskylä:
University of Jyväskylä. Thanks
to permission granted by the authors, photocopies of the book may
be had at Pronto Stampa, via Ostienese 461. Note: Attenders read
chapters 2, 5, 9 for the final exam, the rest will be done in
class; non attenders read the entire book (chapters 1 to 10) for
the final exam.
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Handouts |
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<cliccare "Learning
language as culture" (in italiano) |
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26/02/07 |
Introductory Lesson:
Following advice of past students, a description of course
*In the large PC lab next to the Portineria from
16:30 to 17: |
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Tardi |
Late |
En retard |
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Pulito |
Clean |
Propre |
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Pasto |
Meal |
Repas |
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Noi |
We |
Nous |
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Ovest |
West |
Ouest |
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Note:
these are VERY common words -- not complex, culturally-specific
words like
Likewise,
when observing the American students filmed during a class
discussion, it is impossible to understand their way of
discussing (turn taking, interruption, bid to speak, direct
enunciation of concept, yet hedging and understatement, etc.)
without grasping the values underlying their behavior. So
the real problem, when trying to learn “English”, is
to find ways of identifying the values that give meaning to the
words and behavior of one's English-speaking
interlocutor.
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02/03/07 |
Cultural Differences among Students – In class The stereotype of the White, middle-class American of Anglo descent versus the stereotype of the South-Central middle-class urbanized Italian. See here. Learning
a language – in this case, English – means acquiring
a will to mean that expresses a will to be shared
by some English speaking community. Thus, when we are speaking
English in class, we will be acting and thinking and feeling
things as we would in an American classroom (later, if time
allows, we will experiment doing things in a British, Australian,
Irish, Jamaican etc. way). Coming
late to lessons Chatting
during lessons This
is what YOU should think, feel and want
during the lesson, A
language like English is therefore not simply a code (words +
rules for combining them). A language can seem
like a code because, from the
standpoint of acoustics, people do use a set of rules for
signal/message conversion; and from the standpoint of semiotics,
people do use a set of signs in lexical-syntactic opposition to
each other. But this is only the superficial aspect of language.
If language were only
a code, under normal conditions
there would be no ambiguities or misunderstandings or
inventiveness. Talking would be a mere bureaucratic function. Homework: Do the
first section in How to Interview. See the instructions
under Task 0 (go to the main menu and click on RESEARCH TASKS). |
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05/03/07 |
*Example of choice of value. Imagine that these are your group's questions; some of the questions involve the cultural value of “individualism” (some cultures are highly individualistic – this is generally true of Germans, Americans, etc. -- while other cultures are highly collectivistic (this is generally true of the Japanese and to a much lesser degree of Italians). Again, some cultures are highly emotive (in general, Russians, Mexicans, etc.) while other cultures tend not to display emotion (Scandinavians, Britons, etc.). The questions below that seek to discover if the interviewee is individualist are this color; the questions that seek to discover if the interviewee is emotive are this color. Here are the imaginary questions: 1. Do you often eat alone? 2. Is it OK to cry in public? 3. Do you go on vacation trips in a group? 4. Should people have private health insurance or state insurance? 5. When angry, do you shout? 6. Would you like to be like John Wayne or Woody Allen? 7. Is it OK to play music loud, even if your family and neighbors hate it? If the group chooses the value "individualism", it will make a list with questions 1, 3, 4, 7. If it chooses the value "emotivity", it will make a list with questions 2, 5, 6. (To learn about cultural values, see Beamer in the Handouts.)
Discussion
of the criteria for evaluating Task 0 (the comments on the two
videos in Section 1 of How
to Interview),
Class
composition:
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07/03/07 |
Your questionnaires,
in asking what values “young white Americans of Anglo-Saxon
origin” (most Trinity students) have, obviously deal with
STEREOTYPES. This is not necessarily
negative: STEREOTYPES are an inevitable first
approximation. Thus, in practice,
getting to know a person or an object from another culture means
going from stereotype to stereotype, improving them continually,
but never arriving at a vision with reproduces reality in all its
infinite complexity.
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09/03/07 |
You will use the Questionnaire at Trinity College to interview the students there on:
Monday,
November 20th, 8 pm until (probably) 10
pm
NOTE:
Students who are NOT
able to come to Trinity College on March 12th
must find, on their
own (per
conto proprio),
American students in Rome to interview exactly as they would have
done at Trinity College. They can find these students
during the day at American book stores, churches, etc. and, in
the late afternoon (“Happy Hour”, after 5 pm) in the
pubs. For a list of “lairs” where the Anglo community
holes out, click here. Sub-Goal C helps you
distance yourself from your own culture through “putting
it on the line” (attraverso il
chiamarla in causa). You can do this in many ways:
one is discussing – with an American, in the present case –
critical incidents in which an Italian causes a problem for an
American. By accepting to listen to the criticisms of various
Americans (who normally defend the American in the story) and
making their criticisms yours, you can begin to see your native
culture as only one possible value system.
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12/03/07 |
Your task after asking the Official Questions:
establish an empathetic rapport in which to introduce your Group
Questions indirectly, adding genuinely qualitative questions to
complete the list. (See my correction of your Group Questionnaire
for the reasons why, in most cases, I do not consider it to
contain genuinely qualitative questions.) |
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14/03/07 |
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16/03/07 |
Varieties of English
in the world (Crystal, English as a Global Language). (language
contact) Pidgin >>> Creole >>>
Language It is not a question of
learning either SBE (SouthEast British English or Standard
British English, spoken by the upper classes) OR one of the
marginal varieties in the norm-providing circle, OR one of the
emerging varieties in the norm-developing circle. Your task
is to learn not as many varieties as you can – impossible
at this stage – but rather the ethnolinguistic capabilities
that will enable you to learn the varieties you will need in the
future. In a global world, you will assuredly need to
accommodate to more than just SBE speakers. |
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19/03/07 |
An example of Internet
resources for studying: |
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21/03/07 |
http://it.groups.yahoo.com/group/rappresentanti_lci/ http://roma3linguecomunicazione.forumup.it/
Problems with correcting Task 2.
Email from Daniele (Group C) and my answer: Hai scritto il / you wrote on (Wed, 21 Mar 2007 00:39:31 +0000): ____________________________________________ > Ritengo che i voti che ho posto siano bassi a causa > della grande confusione che si è creata tra lavoro > individuale e di gruppo e non per incapacità dei > componenti dello stesso. Quindi mi sono trovato in > grande difficoltà nel mettere voti a persone che non > avevano ben chiaro quale fosse il loro compito.
I tried to explain in class that I understand the confusion of most students since, in their schoastic and academic history, teachers have always told them what to do.
Instead, in this class, they have to ask questions (that they invent using the guidelines I furnish) and come up with answers to their own questions.
This is new and so confusion is inevitable.
So you have to judge them on the basis of: 1. factual presentation 2. epistemological honesty.
There is NO "right answer" or "official way of doing things."
I'll look your sheets over. But in the future you are going to have the same problem until students realize that THEY are responsible for the knowledge they create.
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23/03/07 |
If most students say yes (to this and other similar questions), has she discovered "knowledge" about the students, i.e. that their culture is “universalistic”?“ |
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26/03/07 |
Practice
analysing discourse markers in British Academic English: Entire Text: |
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28/03/07 |
Sample
low level modes:
Codes: a. verbal, b. paraverbal, c. behavioral, d. interactional, e. discoursual...
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30/03/07 |
Summary of MAJOR POINTS MADE DURING THIS FIRST MODULE 1.
A new vision of language learning: (And NOT like the Berlitz Language School advert. Video: “Mayday! Mayday! We are sinking!”)
2.
A new vision of “English” (-►Englishes).
3. A new vision of language (a will to mean) and culture (a will to be). Example: video of a New Zealander professor and student)
4.
A new vision of British Academic English (BAE). A relative norm.
A way of saying things AND seeing things:: “linear”,
“explicit”, “hedged”, “gentlemanly”,
etc.
5. A new vision of understanding others when using English: (Picture interview.) (video: Afterwards in a pub.)
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18/04/07 |
Module
2: April 18
20 23 Perhaps another lesson
will be annulled (tesi di laurea). So we will have 8
lessons.
WHO
WOULD I LIKE TO BE, IN AN ENGLISH-SPEAKING COUNTRY, Please avoid rock stars, Hollywood actors and other “artificial celebrities,” whose real “way of being” may be entirely different from the public image that their PR managers invent for them. |
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20-04-07 |
Discussion on the partial exams, in particular on the notion of qualitative and quantitative questioning. See the email to Teresa on the Bulletin Board in the NEWS section or here. |
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23-04-07 |
2. to do
something 3. to BE something |
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02.05.07 |
NOTE:
Important! See the explanation of Hofstede's CULTURAL
DIMENSIONS
here,
There are only 5: Power
distance,
Individualism
vs. collectivism,
Masculinity
vs. femininity,
Uncertainty
avoidance,
Long
vs. short term orientation.
Hofstede says he can describe the differences among all the
cultures of the world using only these 5 dimensions. If
this is true, then his construct is “economical” (it
gives you a lot with just a little). One of the secondary
criteria for a good scientific construct is that it should be
“economical.”
Listen to his
response here
(you can read it here).
NOTE:
Hofstede does not use the terms “quantitative/qualitative”
but rather “emic/etic”.
On Internalizing an English-speaking Double Konstantin Stanislavsky (1863-1938) Russian stage director and theorist (>>>
Lee Strasburg, Actor's School, “The Method”: James
Dean, Marlon Brando, Paul Newman, Marilyn Monroe, Dustin Hoffman,
Al Pacino, etc.) More information: Dulwich College course on the Stanislavsky system Altri ragguagli sull'interiorizzazione come aiuto per apprendere bene Inglese: da una tesi di laurea
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07.05.07 |
Sample questions on these two speakers of English, dealing with their linguistic-cultural background):
____________________________________________________
in
our course, you have had to work a lot, I know. These
capacities are, for example: BECAUSE
IT IS WHAT EMPLOYERS WANT.
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09.05.07 |
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11.05.07 |
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Marking Scheme |
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Italian school marking system: 0 |
1 - 3 |
4, 5 |
6 |
7, 8 |
(9, 10) |
Points for each Task completed: 0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
(5) |
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Do
Section 1, “Goals”,
in the on-line module "How
to interview using a questionnaire". PICTURE
Project.
You can find the module on the CD your
group leader has prepared for you or you can view it directly on
the Internet, following the indications given in “Handouts”
above (click here).
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TASK
1 This
means:
GROUP
LEADERS: DOWNLOAD THE EVALUATION SHEET FOR TASK
1
HERE>
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TASK
2
Double
interview with the students at Trinity College using:
See
the Evaluation Form here
for
the criteria in judging a good report.
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TASK
3 Record a discussion on Understanding Others using British academic English. Follow the criteria on the Group Leader's evaluation sheet here. (It works, now!)
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TASK
4 How
to Interview,
Sections 4, 5, 6. Your
Group Leader will judge your reports using the Evaluation Form
available here.
(The Leader will judge her/his own report, as well, but AFTER
having
read all of your reports.)
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TASK 1
Instructions on HOW TO MAKE AN IDENTI-KIT of your English-speaking double here. You can download the Evaluation sheet here. Note on the Evaluation
Criteria: here is what to avoid in preparing your
Identi-kit: NOTE ON USING THE INTERNET TO FIND A BLOGGER TO SERVE AS YOUR DOUBLE If you want to find
blogs with videos, enter a “string” (series of
indications) like this into Google: The part in green is the initial part where you put keywords to find the KIND OF PERSON you would like to be. In the first examples, I looked for a blogger who uses the words Chicago and college. In the second example,
I looked for a blogger who uses the words trekker and “Cape
Town” (note the quotation marks: use them when a name or a
concept is composed of several words). YOU MUST ENTER THE WORD "OR" IN CAPITAL
LETTERS, EXACTLY AS YOU SEE ABOVE. |
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Short explanation: For
May 14th:
NOTE:
You may want to change your maxims if you think now that they do
not really permit you to think, feel and act as your double
For example, we saw in class that Caterina, whose double is
Benazir Bhutto, ex Prime Minister of Pakistan (first
woman!), thought she understood Benazir's cultural
values.
1.
"Everyone's equal so I will call mio padre and mia
madre, NOT “papà” and “mamma”
but, instead, by their first names ("Luigi", "Pina").
I will tell dirty jokes to them (and to everyone, even a teacher
or a priest)... " 2.
When you have your 8 maxims that transform you into your double,
write 8 more maxims that make you stop being an
Italian.
Io
come italiano: "Non alzare la cresta."
5.
Consign your Ethnographic Report to your group leader by Monday
noon (May 14th) for correction and submission on May 16th. |
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For
the best Ethnographic
Reports |
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