Italian Language and Literature Commons^™

Codenames For Language Courses, Jeffrey Nolan Mcculley, Chloe Bennett

UTA Libraries Staff Publications - Archive

In this lesson, students deepen their proficiency in the target language by designing and implementing a foreign-language edition of the game Codenames. Drawing on their understanding of vocabulary, semantics, and cultural nuance, students adapt game components and rules to account for language-specific challenges such as word ambiguity, cognates, homophones, and idiomatic meaning. Through collaborative gameplay, students actively apply linguistic knowledge in a communicative, problem-solving context that emphasizes precision and strategic language use. The lesson promotes critical thinking, intercultural competence, and authentic language practice while reinforcing vocabulary acquisition and comprehension in an engaging, student-centered format.

Introduction: Rethinking Circulation In Italian Film And Media, Simone Brioni Dr., Rachel Johnson, Shelleen Greene

Department of English Faculty Publications

This introduction to the special issue ‘Rethinking Circulation in

Italian Film and Media’ reconsiders how Italian audiovisual culture

moves across borders – industrially, geographically, linguistically,

and digitally. By focusing on the complex dynamics of circulation,

the essays gathered here trace the evolving connections between

production and distribution, exploring how contemporary modes

of localization, translation, and platform curation shape the

visibility and cultural capital of Italian cinema in global contexts.

From streaming giants such as Netflix to curated services like

MUBI, and from film festival circuits to independent film-making

networks, the issue interrogates how transnational infrastructures

of distribution redefine what counts …

Immigration, “Literary Value”, And The Logic Of Late Capitalism In Piersandro Pallavicini’S Il Mostro Di Vigevano (1999), Simone Brioni Dr.

Department of English Faculty Publications

According to Fredric Jameson’s Postmodernism, or, The Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism (1991), postmodern culture functions as an expression of the logic of late capitalism, manifesting in stylistic pastiche, the dominance of spectacle, a waning of historical consciousness, and a corresponding erosion of affect. Central to Jameson’s critique is the contention that postmodernism forecloses the possibility of imagining alternatives to capitalism. This article argues that Piersandro Pallavicini’s Il mostro di Vigevano (1999) exemplifies some of these features, and it shows how its description of immigrants to Italy as ingenuous, innocent, and simple-minded insinuates that they come from backward places …

Syllabus Itl 112: Basic Italian I, Chiara Caputi

Open Educational Resources

This is a syllabus for Basic Italian I (ITL 112) taught at the College of Staten Island during the Fall 2026 semester. This course teaches students about reading, writing, speaking and listening in Italian.

Terminating Pregnancies In Boccaccio, Anne C. Leone

Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics - All Scholarship

Analyzing examples from the Decameron (1349-51), De mulieribus claris (1361), and the Corbaccio (1365), I argue that Boccaccio (1313-75) demonstrates an awareness of theological, legal and medical opinions on abortion and contraception at the time. However, he is more attuned to the practical concerns of pregnancy than are many of his contemporaries. Acknowledging the variety of situations facing pregnant people and some parts of their lived experience that were ignored by many religious and legal authorities, Boccaccio highlights a disconnection between theory and practice, and thereby raises questions about the limits of abstract knowledge in the face of practical concerns.

Modifying Italian Consonants In The Voice Studio: An Exploratory Sequential Mixed Methods Study, Elisa Ramon

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

The body of lyric diction literature, particularly on Italian, has grown substantially in the second half of the twentieth century. Lyric diction courses are now a required part of many voice programs across the United States. The widespread use of International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) transcriptions and transcription rules has significantly contributed to the field. However, relatively few sources focus on the pedagogical strategies needed to teach and modify Italian consonants effectively.

This two-phase exploratory sequential mixed methods study identifies the features of Italian consonants that differentiate the lyric diction of novice singers from that of native speakers. It also proposes …

Tellecollaboration Task L2l, Susanna Nocchi, Morgana Valentina

Case studies: Digital Education

The Italian Telecollaboration project began in 2021 as a partnership between Language Studies at TU Dublin, DCU, and Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan, Italy. DCU is no longer involved and the initiative now continues as a collaboration between TU Dublin students of Italian and Università Cattolica students of English. The Telecollaboration is offered as a 2 ECTS module in Università Cattolica (see Collaborative Online International Learning) while at TU Dublin it is integrated into the language interaction assessment for the Italian Language 2A module, within the IBL degree. During Semester 2, students from both universities work in pairs …

Elementary Italian Ii, Monica Rossi-Miller

Open Educational Resources

Italian II aims at increasing the student's ability to use basic forms of oral communication in Italian through constant use of the everyday idiom. Carefully graded practice in reading and writing supplement the conversational aspects of the course. We will cover the second half of Italian Espresso 1 that is, chapter 7 through chapter 11, and the accompanying chapters in the workbook. We also will work on vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, oral comprehension, conversation, spelling and writing. Speaking, oral comprehension, and conversation will be
emphasized.

Italian Culture Through Film, Monica Rossi-Miller

Open Educational Resources

Introduction to important themes of Italian culture by viewing and analyzing
representative Italian films from the post-World War II era to the present. Topics examined include: the Italian family, how World War II has shaped contemporary Italian culture, Italy as a country of emigrants and immigrants, and an examination of religion and the Catholic Church.
This is a Writing Intensive course conducted in English, and all films have English subtitles.

A Writing Intensive Course Specifically is a designated course sections that—in addition to providing the established disciplinary-oriented student outcomes—incorporate approved instructional strategies and course assignments designed to enhance students’ writing …

Preventing Pregnancy: Dante And Medieval Culture, Anne C. Leone

Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics - All Scholarship

This article provides an overview of the dominant views expressed in legal, medical and religious/theological traditions in the late Middle Ages in order to illustrate two basic points: 1) that the “historical precedent” with regard to abortive practices in the medieval Christian West was less homogenous and more diverse than the Supreme Court Justices assumed in their opinion delivered in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization (2022); and 2) that – in stark contrast with what many anti-abortion activists today might assume about the historical precedent, – medieval thinkers did not generally believe that human life begins at conception.

The …

Heteropoesia: Basil Bunting’S Translation Of Obayd Zākānī’S Mush-O Gorbeh, Emadeddin Naghipour

Languages and Cultures Publications

This article studies the role of ‘selving’ and creative interpretation in literary translation. Specifically, it analyzes one of Basil Bunting’s successful translations of Obayd Zākānī’s Mush-o Gorbeh, a picturesque and catchy poem in rhyme and rhythm, laden with animal characters, which was considered to be both a masterpiece of children’s literature and a very important political satire. Bunting, a translator of Persian classical poems into English, had both political and poetic missions as a spy and an up-and-coming poet. This study turns to the theories of translation by Steiner, Benjamin, and Bassnett, among others, to show the challenges of translating …

Maka: Un Processo Collaborativo Raccontato A Tre Voci, Simone Brioni Dr., Geneviève Makaping, Elia Moutamid

Department of English Faculty Publications

The documentary Maka offers an account of Makaping’s journey of migration from Cameroon, her arrival in Italy in 1982 following the tragic death of her partner, her success as a journalist and television host, and her more recent relocation to Mantua. Maka focuses on questions of national belonging, and it reflects on how the perception of migration and race has changed since Makaping first came to Italy in the 1990s. This contribution includes a short article in which the protagonist, the writer and the director of the film reflect upon their collaboration. It also includes a video recording of the …

Transatlantic Literary Networks, 1949-1972, Cristina Iuli, Stefano Morello

Publications and Research

Il racconto di Donald Barthelme “Critique de la Vie Quotidienne”, pubblicato sul New Yorker il 9 luglio 1971, si apre su una famiglia newyorkese di classe media sull’orlo di una crisi matrimoniale. Wanda, la moglie, sfoglia Elle, costringendo il marito a prestare attenzione alle foto dell’elegante ristrutturazione di un vecchio mulino in Bretagna da cui spiccano arredi di Arne Jacobsen e “cose di plastica arancione e rosso brillante che arrivano da Milano” (Barthelme 1971, p. 26). Barthelme, che aveva trascorso tutta l’infanzia e buona parte della gioventù a Houston, in Texas, dove il padre era direttore del museo di …

Scene Transatlantiche: Eco Italiane Nella Beat Generation, Stefano Morello

Publications and Research

Nella maldestra intervista con Fernanda Pivano trasmessa dalla RAI nel settembre del 1966, Jack Kerouac, interpellato riguardo le infuenze letterarie che avevano ispirato la sua produzione, rispose negando con forza l’impatto di autori italiani sulla sua poetica. Il rifuto di Kerouac – uno dei pochi esponenti della Beat Generation a poter vantare un radicamento nel territorio nordamericano da più di dieci generazioni (FamilySearch) – può essere letto come il tentativo di un autore aggrappatosi, nella parte fnale della sua vita, a un’ideologia conservatrice e nazionalista, di inscrivere la propria poetica all’interno di una tradizione letteraria puramente americana. Nella frase successiva …

From Stage To Screen: The Enduring Influence Of Commedia Dell'arte., Corinna Di Niro

Staff Scholarship - Australia & Dubai

This presentation discusses how the principles of Commedia dell’Arte (henceforth Commedia), a vibrant 16th century Italian theatre form, have seamlessly transitioned into film, leaving an enduring impact on the silver screen.

During the silent film era, renowned stars Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton showcased Commedia through their exaggerated physicality and gestures, inspired by iconic characters such as Arlecchino and Pierrot. The frantic pace and chaotic energy in Keystone comedies also echoed the Commedia spirit, with improvisation and slapstick the key to provoking laughter (Scheide, 2012).

The popularity of 'Rom-Coms' overtime can be attributed to its use of Commedia's archetypal characters, …

Basil Bunting And The Challenges Of Literary Translation From Persian Into English: A Case Of Rūdhakī, Emadeddin Naghipour

Languages and Cultures Publications

The purpose of this study is to analyze Basil Bunting's literary translation. It turns to the theories of translation by Steiner, Benjamin, and Eco, among others, to study Bunting’s translation of Rūdhakī’s ‘Dandaniyyeh’ poem, a 10th century qaṣīdah replete with mesmerizing musicality and with a form galvanized in its originating language, time, and locale. A deep contrastive analysis of its translation into English by the poet, Bunting, shows the difficulties that can arise from literal translations of classical Persian poetry.

The Divine Comedy: A Work Of Medieval Mythology, Jamie Alexander

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Prior to The Divine Comedy (1308-1321), ideas about Purgatory were in the early stages of development. Purgatory had loose rituals surrounding its existence and it lacked depiction in written works. Yet in the following centuries, the fear of Purgatory and the practices of penance and indulgences reached a fever pitch, ultimately leading to the Protestant Reformation. Purgatory as a celestial location, and not just the “purgatorial fires” of the Bible, only began to develop in the twelfth century, but its fearful description and imagery in The Divine Comedy not only solidified previously nebulous understandings of Purgatory, but also increased anxiety …

Maka: Distribuzione E Circolazione Di Un Film Indipendente, Simone Brioni Dr.

Department of English Faculty Publications

The distribution and circulation of independent films are fundamental but often neglected aspects in film studies. This article presents a distribution experience followed by the author of the text himself: the case of the independent documentary Maka. Produced thanks to an academic grant and the collaboration with two Italian production companies, Maka was screened at numerous international festivals and received several awards. Distribution involved both traditional cinema circuits and independent digital platforms. The film has been screened in academic and associative contexts, in Italy and the United States, encouraging debates on social and cultural issues. The participation of the protagonist, …

The Redemption Of Eve: The Decameron As New Genesis, Brittany Asaro

Italian and Italian Studies: Faculty Scholarship

Giovanni Boccaccio’s Decameron (1349-51) has long been regarded as a secular celebration of humanity. Yet, his choice of title—a play on hexameron—frames his short story collection as a gloss on Genesis. In this essay, I argue that the author’s reevaluation of scripture is an essential part of his vision of a post-plague society in which gender roles have been redefined. Boccaccio challenges traditional interpretations of the biblical account of humanity’s creation and fall, in which Woman/Eve is primarily blamed for Original Sin and its consequences. He implies that such misogynistic readings have served to subjugate women, and thus offers an …

A Construção Da Guerra Civil Através De Dois Discursos Na Farsália, De Lucano, Leni Ribeiro Leite, Thayrynne De Faria Coutinho

Modern and Classical Languages, Literatures and Cultures Faculty Publications

O presente trabalho analisa a construção da Guerra Civil nos cantos II e IV da Farsália, do poeta Lucano, por meio da caracterização e dos discursos de duas personagens: a mãe e o soldado. Em uma épica em que o confronto entre membros de um mesmo povo é central, defendemos que Lucano, ao apresentar essas duas personagens, apresenta dois pontos de vista romanos em relação a dinâmica da guerra. Para essa análise, tomamos como base a concepção de Dominique Maingueneau (1995, 2008) de ethos e elementos retóricos da Antiguidade apresentados, em especial, na Institutio Oratoria, de Quintiliano.

Pasta And Politics: A Taste Of Culinary Xenophobia In Italy, Rachel Berns

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

Italy has become a common “landing country” for many European and Asian immigrants, creating a perception of invasion that has led to cultural reactionism masked in the reinforcement of “traditional cuisine.” For so-called traditional foods to endure, they must continually be reinvented, bearing different meanings and social values throughout time and space while accumulating rich, cultural baggage that serves as a powerful marker of identity in a given society. This project explores the role of traditional cuisine in Italian national identity and pride, and the subsequent historical culinary antagonism maintained in widespread attitudes toward ethnic cuisine in Italy. Through an …

Creatività Diasporiche Dialoghi Transnazionali Tra Teoria E Arti, Simone Brioni Dr., Loredana Polezzi Dr., Franca Sinopoli

Department of English Faculty Publications

Creatività diasporiche è un volume bilingue costituito da tredici conversazioni tra studiosi/studiose di materie umanistiche e artisti/artiste il cui lavoro si concentra sul tema della migrazione e dell’identità. I contributi nella raccolta abbracciano forme di produzione che vanno dalla letteratura alle arti visive, dal cinema alla performance teatrale, dai podcast alla musica rap, mentre tra le tematiche ricorrenti emergono dibattiti su identità, lingua, migrazione, memoria e cittadinanza. Questo volume è anche un invito a ripensare il lavoro creativo e quello accademico, in area umanistica, come intrinsecamente legati al dialogo e alla collaborazione. Ciascuna conversazione si concentra sull’Italia intesa come un …

Enrico Pea And The Awareness Of Never-Ending Detachment (Alexandria, Egypt 1896–1914), Stefano Giannini

Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics - All Scholarship

This chapter analyzes the postcolonial discourse in Italy, through the voice of the novelist and playwright Enrico Pea (1881–1958). Living outside of Italy, Pea gained a unique awareness of the notion of multi-ethnic societies, of the concepts of nationality, borders, and boundaries. Alexandria, Egypt, is Pea’s referential space. It is a center, and at the same time, a marginal place. Alexandrea ad Egyptum, that is, the door to Egypt, as it was known in antiquity, this city brought together Arab and European artistic experiences that converged on, and were triggered by, its multicultural profile. The history of political exile …

Attitudes Towards Gluten Free Foods And Celiac Disease In Italy, Joellyn Speredelozzi

Senior Honors Projects

This project addresses the perception and realities of living with Celiac’s Disease in Italy. I combine a literature review with my own anecdotal experiences as an individual with Celiac’s Disease who has lived and studied in Italy. In my paper, I first describe the high awareness of gluten-free living that I noted the first time I studied abroad, being the impetus of this project. I follow this with the history and science of Celiac’s Disease for those who may be unaware of this serious chronic medical condition. I then continue to describe personal experiences I had while living in Naples, …

The Structure Of Human Redemption As Demonstrated In Dante's The Divine Comedy, Erick S. Flores

Student Research

Dante Alighieri's The Divine Comedy is renowned all around the globe for its impact on literary history as a whole. This research paper delves into the structure of human redemption as portrayed in Dante's epic masterpiece. Through a comprehensive analysis of the narrative structure, allegory, and symbolism, employed by Dante, this study illuminates the underlying framework that guides the protagonist and readers on a transformative journey through the afterlife. By examining the divisions of Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso, this paper reveals the hierarchical nature of sin, the ever-progressive path of spiritual growth, and the ultimate attaining of salvation and understanding …

Stolperstein/Stumbling Stone For Holocaust Survivor Otto Heimann/Bob Hymann, Bochum/German, Toronto/Kanada Und New York, Ny, Usa, Courtney Conte, Mona Eikel-Pohen

Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics - All Scholarship

The documentation tries to capture the life of Holocaust survivor Otto Heimann/Bob Hyman who spent his youth in Bochum-Langendreer, Germany, and was forced by the National Socialists to leave parents, home, and country. The documentation does not claim to give a full picture, just an insight into Otto Heimann's/Bob Hyman's life.

It will be read out on June 6, 2023 in Bochum, Germany when a Stolperstein, a stumbling stone, will be place near Alte Bahnhstraße 6 in Bochum-Langendreer, Germany, to commemorate Otto Heimann/Bob Hyman, so that we and future generations may learn from history.

Diese Dokumentation versucht, das Leben Bob …

Affare Fatto 2!, Susanna Nocchi, Silvia Bertoni

Books/Book Chapters

Taster. List of contents and first unit of a book for students of Italian as a foreign language.

Affare fatto! 2 is the second volume of a course aimed at learners of Italian who want to reach an intermediate level of competence in the language (B1/B1+ of the CEFR). The book offers material that can be used to attain competences in Italian for Business and for Professional Communication.

Affare fatto! 2 can be used as a textbook in a university course, as a book for professionals who work in Italy or with Italian partners, and as a textbook for those …

Uno Sguardo Oltre I Bordi Della Fotografia Coloniale, Simone Brioni Dr.

Department of English Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Crossing The Borders And Challenging The Boundaries Of White Feminism In Italy: Situated Rearticulations Of Difference And The Impact Of Antiracist Feminisms, Loredana Di Martino

Italian and Italian Studies: Faculty Scholarship

This article investigates how some white Italian feminists have begun to reckon with the colorblindness and ethnocentrism of their theories and are contributing to the development of a critical white feminism. An examination of key feminist texts from the 1970s will be followed by an investigation into more recent iterations of difference feminism that have critically reengaged and redefined both Marxist theories of social reproduction and cultural practices of female intersubjectivity. In addition to addressing the existence of differently situated gender positionalities and their diverging struggles, this critical white Italian feminism is also attempting to meaningfully incorporate and center feminist …

Exploring Dante’S Sources Online: Interactive Reading, Visualizations, And The Study Of Dantean Intertextuality In The Digital Age, Julie Van Peteghem

Publications and Research

Dante’s Commedia is a highly allusive text, and readers throughout time have noted the many parallels between Dante’s verses and those of others. Now that the text of the Commedia and various scholarly and artistic interpretations of the poem (commentaries, translations, illuminated manuscripts) have become accessible online, also the concordance, the lists of parallel passages in Dante’s poem and other works, has become a digital resource. In this essay I explore the study of Dante’s sources in a digital environment mainly through the Intertextual Dante project and its Dante-Ovid edition, published on Digital Dante. Intertextual Dante visualizes moments of …