Post-Graduate Education - Faculty of Economics

According to the trends established in the last years, it is always more necessary to apply computer sciences and cybernetics to literature. The implications of this choice are complex but can be explained in the field of translation, where the primary necessity is to make information circulate and modern techniques be tested. Computers can help with formal comparisons, as they recognize parts of texts, words and homophonous. Cybernetic technologies can help the translator organizing groups of concepts or giving details about isomorphic contents.
The formation of experts, able to translate with the help of computers and cybernetic machines seems to be a very interesting expectation for our University, which is a leader in research, human sciences and is always aware of new job opportunities.
The practice of translation has ancient roots in our country. At first because humanities scholars have often been aware of its importance, and later because of its ineludibly impulse to integrate cultures. On the hand, many countries used to finance translations into Italian in order to establish international relationships or to promote a better knowledge of their literary heritage and increase cultural penetration.
Solid relationships between countries have been developed with the help of our Doctoral program in Italian Studies. Moreover, many agreements have been stipulated with foreign Universities and for this reason doctoral students have easy acess to resources, which creates possibilities for young students. Furthermore, the programs contacts with the world of publishing will concur to trace a privileged path for those students who aim to become professional translators and editors.
It is evident that a translator, from whichever language he/she translates, must possess a perfect knowledge of both the idiom and the cultural context of that language. For this reason the aims developed by the doctoral program seem to be natural.
As the technological, cybernetic and automated side of the translation are concerned, it is necessary to acquire partners outside the Faculty of Humanities, starting from the other faculties of the University (for instance the Faculty of Engineering) and enhancing an inner collaboration. Our “Dipartimento di Studi Filologici, Linguistici e Letterari” assures proficiency about the other topics mentioned, in particular with the help of Italian literature and Italian linguistics Professors, who are working on a “Cofin” plan regarding Cyber-literature.
This research can be ulteriorly circumscribed to the study of literary translation, that is something different from simple translation. Many Faculties are already running in the field of “non-literary translation” with a great interest from part of the students, but it seems obvious that as long as the Doctorate is concerned this research cannot have a basic approach.
There are some differences between the objectives of an undergraduate degree, a masters degree and a doctorate degree in Italian studies, but even so, the convergence of Italian literature, Italian linguistics and written Italian create a strong scientific and didactic structure for the octorate Degree in “Italianistica”.

By using computers and cybernetic resources in the preparation of literary translation we will focus our attention on some specific needs:
- programmers able to develop a thesaurus, database and hyper textual models
- web designers
- e-book promoters
- on line convertersThe literary knowledge is the first and implicit requirement of this research, the literary outcome remains its privileged goal, whereas technological skills are the starting point of study and formation, for instance in case of a video conference.
Only in this way can a “non scientific” Faculty succeed in acquiring scientific dignity and can it be ready to use new means of communication while approaching traditional subjects, without missing any opportunity.