This module will enable the student to read an Old English text directly from its manuscript source(s) and to make use of a digital edition of a medieval text. It will also introduce the student to the main research issues of the Anglo-Saxon studies and provide him/her with the tools for writing a paper or a degree thesis on a medieval English text.

The programme will focus on these points:

 A. The Anglo-Saxon studies: their history, main research issues and present developments

B. Where the scientific community meets: sssociations, congresses, journals, main publications, research projects and research tools

C. The interplay between historical linguistics and philology; how to gain linguistic information from manuscript evidence; the position of Old English within the history of English

D. Old English synchronically considered: its phonology and prosody, morphology, word-formation, lexicon, syntax, and related questions

E. Old English metrics

F. A cultural history of Anglo-Saxon England, with the focus on some selected issues (foundation myths; literacy and orality; the world of Anglo-Saxon learning...)

G. Old English prose and verse

H. The concept of source

I. Introduction to the palaeography and codicology of Anglo-Saxon and medieval Latin manuscripts

J.   Palaeographical and codicological training at the Archivio di Stato in Urbino

 This module will enable the student to read an Old English text directly from its manuscript source and to make use of a digital edition of a medieval text. It will also introduce the student to the main research issues and tools of the Anglo-Saxon studies and enable him to write a paper or a degree thesis on a medieval English text.

 see "modalità didattiche"

Modalità didattiche

This is a seminar requiring the students' active involvement in the class and much homework. It will include a written supervision twice a month, the presentation of a paper on a subject chosen by the student and  some palaeographical and codicological training at the Archivio di Stato (Urbino)

Obblighi

In order to be admitted to the final examination as a "studente frequentante", you have to:

1) attend at least 75% of the seminar hours;

2) give the paper on a subject of your choice (after agreement with the teacher);

3) take part to the supervisions;

4) attend the training at the Archivio di Stato.

The students who don't fulfill points 1) to 4) will be admitted to the final examination as "studenti non frequentanti"; see the programme below

Testi di studio

You shall prepare yourself to the final examination by reading following literature:

• Owen-Crocker, Gale R. (ed.), Working with Anglo-Saxon Manuscripts, Exeter, University of Exeter Press, 2009, one chapter of your choice;
• Brown, Michelle P., Understanding Illuminated Manuscripts: A Guide to Technical Terms, London : British Library and Malibu : J. Paul Getty Museum, 1994, the whole book;
• Scragg, Donald, "Source study", in: O' Keeffe, Katherine O' Brien (ed.), Reading Old English Texts, Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 1997, pp. 39-58;
• Donoghue, Daniel, "Language matters", in O'Keeffe (1997), pp. 59-78;
•  Szarmach, Paul E., "The recovery of texts", in O' Keeffe (1997), pp. 124-45;
• Baker, Peter S., "Old English and computing: a guided tour", in O'Keeffe (1997), pp. 192-215;
• Conner, Patrick W., "Beyond the ASPR: Electronic Editions of Old English Poetry", in:Larratt Keefer, Sarah / O'Keeffe, Katherine O'Brien (eds), New Approaches to Editing Old English Verse, Cambridge : Brewer, 1998, pp. 109-126
• Gneuss, Helmut, "The Old English language", in: Godden, Malcolm and Lapidge, Robert (eds.), The Cambridge Companion to Old English Literature, Cambridge; Cambridge University Press, 1991, pp. 23-54;
• Knowles, Gerry, A Cultural History of the English Language, London (et al.) : Arnold, 1997. pp. 18-32;
• Smith, Jeremy, An Historical Study of English: Function, Form and Change, London/New York : Routledge, 1996, pp. 13-29;
• Campbell, Lyle, Historical Linguistic: An Introduction, Edinburgh : Edinburgh University Press, 21994, pp. 361-73;
• Hogg, Richard (ed.), The Cambridge History of the English Language, vol. I: The Beginnings to 1066, Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 1992, pp. 19-24.

Modalità di
accertamento

oral and written final examination; supervisions during the course

Disabilità e DSA

Le studentesse e gli studenti che hanno registrato la certificazione di disabilità o la certificazione di DSA presso l'Ufficio Inclusione e diritto allo studio, possono chiedere di utilizzare le mappe concettuali (per parole chiave) durante la prova di esame.

A tal fine, è necessario inviare le mappe, due settimane prima dell’appello di esame, alla o al docente del corso, che ne verificherà la coerenza con le indicazioni delle linee guida di ateneo e potrà chiederne la modifica.

Modalità didattiche

This course is based on private study. You prepare yourself to the examination by:

 

- reading the literature indicated below ("testi di studio");

- doing the execises you find in the teacher's website (ask the teacher, the webmaster or the secretary for the password);

- writing a paper (10-15 pages) on a subject you have chosen according to your own interests (before you start writing, inform the teacher about your choice and select with her a bibliography for the paper)

Obblighi

Please: 

• choose the topic for your paper and inform the teacher about it BEFORE you start writing;
• send the paper to the teacher for supervision one week before the final examination at the latest;
• do the exercises (the ones you find in the teacher's website) on your own and take them into the final examination.

Testi di studio

 Please see "studenti non frequentanti"; furthermore, in order to write your paper you have to select with the teacher some further literature

Modalità di
accertamento

 The final (oral and written) examination will include:

• a discussion on the "testi di studio";
• a discussion on you paper and on your exercises
• a written supervision (e.g. as a multiple-choice test) on historical linguistics.

Disabilità e DSA

Le studentesse e gli studenti che hanno registrato la certificazione di disabilità o la certificazione di DSA presso l'Ufficio Inclusione e diritto allo studio, possono chiedere di utilizzare le mappe concettuali (per parole chiave) durante la prova di esame.

A tal fine, è necessario inviare le mappe, due settimane prima dell’appello di esame, alla o al docente del corso, che ne verificherà la coerenza con le indicazioni delle linee guida di ateneo e potrà chiederne la modifica.

 NOTA BENE:

• apart from the length (here 10-15 pages), your paper should resemble a "tesi di laurea triennale" in every aspect (layout, argument structure...). If you have never written a paper in English, please ask the teacher for some guide-lines BEFORE you start writing;
• PLEASE DO NOT QUOTE FROM WIKIPEDIA IN YOUR PAPER, UNLESS YOU HAVE SERIOUS REASONS TO DO IT (INFORM THE TEACHER ANY WAY BEFORE YOU DELIVER THE PAPER!)