Italian

Welcome to Italian

Why study Italian?

Italy has one of the richest cultural heritages of Western Civilisation and over the last 800 years has been a world leader in literature, architecture, painting, sculpture and music. The first University in Europe was founded in Bologna in 1290. Its School of Law was also a first and attracted scholars from all over Europe. Banking and accountancy were invented in Italy in the late Middle Ages.

Italy is one of the eight wealthiest nations in the world and is an essential international tourist destination. More and more Italian tourists are also visiting Australia.

Italian is, after English, the most widely spoken language in Australia. Over half a million Italian Australians use the language every day. You can practise and put Italian to use in your own community. You can virtually "live" Italian in South Australia!

Italian is a pathway to employment and Italy is a major trading partner with Australia and increasingly so in South Australia. A knowledge of Italian can be of benefit in fields such as tourism, music, design, architecture, teaching, technology, science and commerce.

The first Italian in South Australia came to the colony in 1839. Since then, South Australian citizens of Italian origin have made innumerable contributions to the development of this State.

Courses in Italian are taught throughout the entire range of Pass and Honours degree requirements both for students with an advanced (School Certificate level) knowledge of Italian and for students with no prior experience in the language. Postgraduate supervision is available throughout.

The programs of study in Italian have always attempted to find a balance between language and culture. At all levels a variety of language-teaching methodologies is employed. Language materials include grammar-based texts and selections of authentic written, oral and visual material.

This community features works by Flinders academics in Italian in the areas of Italian settlement in Australia and South Australia; Italian and English bilingual lexicography; thirteenth & fourteenth century poetry and poetics, nineteenth and twentieth century Italian poetry; the poetry of Italian migrants in Australia; Italian language teaching, Dante Studies; Italo-Australian literature; women in contemporary Italian fiction; the study of second language acquisition, media studies, translation theory and practice, teaching methodology; twentieth century literature with particular focus on Sicilian writers.

You can visit the Department of Languages-Italian to find out more about studying Italian, the staff and their particular areas of research.