Varietäten in Sprachlehrwerken des Deutschen und Italienischen: eine kontrastive Beispielanalyse

Abstract

Living languages are characterised by heterogeneity emerging from different historical, political, and social processes which can be analysed from manifold analytical perspectives (cfr. Krefeld 2010; Löffler 2010). The importance of applying a multilinguistic approach to language teaching arises from the increasing heterogeneity of communicative situations (Katerbow 2013), that makes the internal multilingualism an important part of the broader linguistic competence both in the first and in second language (Kaiser/Ender 2020; Spiekermann 2007). The German language takes a special place in the field of multilingualism because of its diachronic and synchronic pluricentricity (Glauninger 2001), which shows itself in clear linguistic, socio-cultural differences between standards, thereby influencing the formation of identity in combination with the internal multilingual landscape. On the contrary, the Italian language is considered as monocentric. However, the diatopic differences, which arise from both formal and functional perspectives, play from both synchronic and diachronic perspectives a fundamental role in the creation of the standard. Moreover, the Italian standard is currently evolving in the form of the so called “neo-standard” (vgl. Ballaré 2020; Berruto 2012) which shares many features with the oral communication. The aim of this pilot study is to investigate if and to what extent the manifestations of heterogeneity mentioned above are reflected in four selected language textbooks belonging to the B1 level. They will be analysed and compared according to following research questions: Which varieties are taught? Are there any differences? In what contexts and though what attitudes are they used? How are they taught (through specific exercises, reading, within communicative structures etc.)? Are they explained, translated, or integrated with metalinguistics references? The results can serve as starting point to other investigations including other textbooks belonging to higher of lower levels of competence.