Beginning Italian 1 (Part 2)

Instructor: Nicole Adair

Fridays 5:45-6:45pm

Course introduction:

Perchè l’italiano? Why Italian? It is obvious that Italian is the language of love, opera, food, fashion and the Renaissance. But it is also true that Italians are everywhere (dapperttutto). This is not on accident (non è a caso): over eight million Italians left Italy between 1860 and World War One, or one-third of the population at the time. Some scholars say it was the largest voluntary migration in human history. It is part of the reason why you can find an Italian restaurant pretty much any place on the planet. Italians are outgoing, energetic, talkative and travelers and globetrotters. It can be argued that by knowing Italian you will make more friends. By learning Italian, you might also acquire a sense of Italian-ness (italianità), and find yourself becoming a little more outgoing, energetic, funny, and last but not least, globetrotting.

This class is a continuation of Italian Beginner 1. It is recommended for Polyglottist students who took Italian Beginner 1 at Polyglottist. It is also recommended for students who took one short Italian course elsewhere. Students are expected to have some familiarity with the verbs in –are, essere, and avere, articles, nouns, and adjectives.

Textbook:

Any edition of Prego!: An Invitation to Italian (MacGraw Hill, 6th edition). I also recommend picking up a verb guide such as 201 Italian verbs, as well as Jhumpa Lahiri’s beautiful little memoir about learning Italian, In Other Words, which is available in a facing text edition.

Course Schedule

Week One

Ciao bella! Greetings and salutations, class introductions

Review of –are verbs. Irregular –are verbs: dare, stare, fare, andare

Piccolo ripasso

Week Two

Aggettivi poessessivi, questo/quello

Reading: Le Venti Regioni d’Italia

Piccolo ripasso

Week Three

La famiglia e l’università. I passatempi e il tempo libero

–ere and –ire verbs

Reading: In Sicilia

Week Four, November 23

Modal verbs: dovere, potere, volere

Reading: In Umbria

Week Five, November 30

Modal verbs: dovere, potere, volere continued

Direct object pronouns

L’ora: telling time

Week Six

Piccolo ripasso

Reading: In Trentino-Alto Adige e in Valle d’Aosta

Week Seven

Food and drink

Combined prepositions

Conoscere and sapere

Week Eight

Review of course

Reading: In Campania