History of the Italian Language

This is a required course for all students in the MA, and MSEd. The course traces the external and internal evolution of the Italian language from its popular Latin origins through the twenty-first century. Following a description of the major changes from Latin to the first appearance of written vernacular documents in the Middle Ages, the course will discuss the gradual elaboration and codification of a Standard language in the Renaissance, side by side with the use of the country’s dialects. The course will focus on language contact, the spoken vs. the written language, the cultural and linguistic revolutions of the printing press and the internet. It will be based on analyzing the multifaceted Italian language, including literary and non-literary sources.