Oriental languages and civilizations

JACOB DEUTSCH BLAKESLEY

The course aims to provide the basic elements of the history of early Italian literature as well as basic information about metrics, rhetoric and text analysis.
As far as the Dublin descriptors are concerned, the course enables the student to master the subjects in order to use it and apply it in other fields of study with the correct use of the specific technical language (descriptor number 1); with the acquired knowledge the student is able to develop autonomous ability of connections with other disciplines in the various historical-cultural epochs (descriptor number 2); the student therefore acquires transversal skills related to communication (descriptors number 3-4)

Students will be able to demonstrate that they have knowledge and understanding in a field of study at a post-secondary level, also with respect to some cutting-edge topics in their field of study, with the support of advanced textbooks;
Students will be able to apply the knowledge acquired competently and thoughtfully; possess adequate skills both to conceive and support arguments, and to solve problems and apply techniques and methods within their field of study;
Students will be able to collect and interpret data useful for making autonomous judgments, including reflection on social, scientific and/or ethical issues connected to them;
Students will be able to communicate information, ideas, problems and solutions to specialist and non-specialist interlocutors;
Students will be able to develop the skills necessary to undertake subsequent studies with a high degree of autonomy.

There are no prerequisites

This course will examine modern and contemporary Italian poet-translators. We will study many of the most prominent Italian poets through their translations of foreign literature, particularly poetry. We will observe how and why these Italian poets chose particular authors and texts to translate. Students will become familiar with theories of translation, and learn how to analyse poetry translations from multiple perspectives. At the same time, we will also contextualise the Italian poets’ translations within contemporary trends in Italian poetry. Poets that will be analysed include Salvatore Quasimodo, Eugenio Montale, Antonella Anedda, Maria Borio, and others.

1. Niva Lorenzini, La poesia italiana del Novecento, terza edizione (Il Mulino, 2018), ISBN: 978-8815278920.
2. Jacob Blakesley, Modern Italian Poets: Translators of the Impossible (Toronto, 2014)
3. Salvatore Quasimodo, Saffo, in Salvatore Quasimodo, Tutte Le Poesie (Mondadori 2017), pp. 273-293; Salvatore Quasimodo, Chiarimento alle traduzioni, pp. 269-272 (available in google classroom), ISBN: 9788804676355.
4. Eugenio Montale, Quaderno di traduzioni (Mondadori, 2021), pp. 5-9, 32-60, 74-83, 97-123, 130-133. ISBN: 978-8804743668.
5. Antonella Anedda, extract from the book Nomi distanti, available at https://www.leparoleelecose.it/nomi-distanti/
6. Margherita Guidacci, Sette canti di un profugo a Tunku, in Due antichi poeti cinesi, pp. 60-66 (available in google classroom)

The bibliography will be given at the first lesson

Lectures will be done in person

Classes will meet weekly

There will be an oral exam

An analysis of a translation by a poet-translator

• Topic 1: Translation Theory, weeks 1-2
  • Books: Jacob Blakesley, Modern Italian Poets: Translators of the Impossible (Toronto, 2014), introduction and chapter 1


• Topix 2: Italian 20th century poetry. Second week.
  • Books: Niva Lorenzini, La poesia italiana del Novecento,


• Topic 2: Italian poet-translators
  • Books: Jacob Blakesley, Modern Italian Poets: Translators of the Impossible (Toronto, 2014), chapters 2-6;  1. Niva Lorenzini, La poesia italiana del Novecento, terza edizione (Il Mulino, 2018), ISBN:  978-8815278920.2. Jacob Blakesley, Modern Italian Poets: Translators of the Impossible (Toronto, 2014; disponibile su google classroom)3. Salvatore Quasimodo, Saffo, in Salvatore Quasimodo, Tutte Le Poesie, pp. 273-293; Salvatore Quasimodo, Chiarimento alle traduzioni, pp. 269-272 (questi testi sono disponibili su google classroom)4. Eugenio Montale, Quaderno di traduzioni, pp. 5-9, 32-60, 74-83, 97-123, 130-133.5. Antonella Anedda, estratto dal libro Nomi distanti, disponibile su https://www.leparoleelecose.it/nomi-distanti/6. Margherita Guidacci, Sette canti di un profugo a Tunku, in Due antichi poeti cinesi, pp. 60-66 (disponibile su google classroom)