a.a. 2010-2011 Lingue e Culture Moderne

Lingue e Culture per il Turismo

LINGUA E TRADUZIONE – LINGUA INGLESE (II anno)

9 CFU

dott.ssa Mariacristina Petillo1

The language of tourism today:

a shift from literary language to modern mass tourism

2

«In che modo il viaggio agisce come una forza che muta il corso della storia umana? Come può un

semplice spostamento nello spazio influenzare gli individui, plasmare i gruppi sociali e modificare quelle durature strutture di significato

che determinano la cultura? […]»3

«Il viaggio ha agito e continua ad agire come una forza che trasforma le

personalità individuali, le mentalità, i rapporti sociali. […]. Bisogna dimostrare l’importanza fondamentale del viaggio

come attività creatrice di una condizione umana».

Eric J. Leed, La mente del viaggiatore. Dall’Odissea al turismo globale, 1992

4

- The first narration of a journey in the western world is the Epic of

Gilgamesh

the greatest surviving work of early Mesopotamian literature (4500 B.C.)

5

Scholars believe that it originated as a series of Sumerian legends and poems about the hero-king Gilgamesh, which

were fashioned into a longer epic much later. The most complete

version existing today is preserved on 12 clay tablets from the library

collection of 7th-century B.C. Assyrian king Ashurbanipal.

6

The story revolves around a relationship between Gilgamesh (probably a real ruler in the late Early Dynastic II period) and his close companion, Enkidu. Enkidu is a wild man created by the gods as Gilgamesh's

equal to distract him from oppressing the citizens of Uruk. Together they undertake

dangerous quests that incur the displeasure of the gods.

7

Firstly, they journey to the Cedar Mountain to defeat Huwawa, its

monstrous guardian. Later they kill the Bull of Heaven that the

goddess Ishtar has sent to punish Gilgamesh for spurning her

advances.

8

The latter part of the epic focuses on Gilgamesh's distressed reaction to

Enkidu's death, which takes the form of a quest for immortality. Gilgamesh

attempts to learn the secret of eternal life by undertaking a long and perilous

journey to meet the immortal flood hero, Utnapishtim.

9

Ultimately the poignant words addressed to Gilgamesh in the

midst of his quest foreshadow the end result: "The life that you are

seeking you will never find. When the gods created man they allotted to him death, but life they retained

in their own keeping."

10

Gilgamesh, however, was celebrated by posterity for his building achievements, and for

bringing back long-lost knowledge to Uruk as a result of his meeting

with Utnapishtim.

11

From Gilgamesh to Ulysses…

his journey is a metaphor of his thirst for knowledge

12

In ancient Greece, people would travel to attend the Olympic

Games or to worship the gods in particularly important temples.

In pre-Christian times, the oracle at Delphi played an especially

important role.

13

The Pan-Hellenic religious feasts held at Olympia every four years and at Delphi led to the two sites becoming famous outside Greece. The oracle at Delphi, in particular,

exercised a strong attraction, drawing a large number of

pilgrims.14

15

In the Roman period, the concept of epic, adventurous, legendary or

erudite journeys goes hand in hand with the concept of spare

time

country holidays or beach holidays

Latin literature in its turn often mentions the otia , the periods of free time that the Roman upper

classes devoted to activities other than work.

16

The horae subsecivae of the Romans, for example, were given over to leisure activities as a well-

earned rest after work. During their otia, the Romans used to visit

cities with particular climatic conditions, such as Pompeii.

17

18

During the Middle Ages, a new era began

Medieval travels = pilgrimages

18

The Middle Ages are marked by journeys and pilgrimages to holy places. This is the

period in which "religious tourism" became popular with its interdependent means of

transport, accommodation for pilgrims, and stops along the route at which peddlers would sell "relics." The most common

destinations of the period were Jerusalem, Rome and Santiago de Compostela.

19

In the Middle Ages, pilgrimages were a collective phenomenon that was an integral part of the Christian world.

Pilgrims were considered to be extremely spiritual and were held in high regard by society. Pilgrims were "the initiated" who

sought to free themselves from the structures surrounding them and to ascend

to a new level of existence. 20

To go on a pilgrimage meant leaving behind the worldly aspects of life so as to concentrate on the purity of one's faith. When they returned home, pilgrims were

greeted with admiration and were aware of having taken a further

step toward spirituality.21

In Medieval times, the ecclesiastically legitimated

pilgrimage represented elements of a very precise nature: the

"movement" of the journey, the religious "motivation," and the

"destination," which had to be a place that was considered holy.

22

In general, pilgrimages arose from the search for salvation and, sometimes,

the need to be physically healed. Medieval travellers undertook their journeys for a purpose—to increase their spirituality—and in this sense pilgrims in the Middle Ages were clearly different from those who

travelled to satisfy their curiosity.23

“The practice of pilgrimage can be traced back many centuries BC to the cultures of Ancient Egypt and Greece, and is probably as old as

religion, which is perhaps as old as mankind”.

(James Harpur, Sacred Tracks: 2000 Years of Christian Pilgrimage, 2005)

24

Il pellegrinaggio è un fenomeno comune a moltissimi popoli fin da

tempi remoti ed ha assunto aspetti differenti nei vari contesti storici. Le

origini di molti pellegrinaggi risiedono nelle pratiche del nomadismo. Ne

sono esempi noti quelli compiuti da due popoli diversi e lontani che hanno però vissuto un’esperienza simile: gli

ebrei e gli aztechi.25

I primi vivono l’Esodo che si svolge nel deserto del Sinai, i secondi arrivano in

Messico spinti anch’essi dall’idea di Terra Promessa. Entrambi, una volta

stabilitisi, costruiscono templi, i primi a Gerusalemme, i secondi a

Tenochtitlan, che diventano la meta dei pellegrinaggi compiuti dai

successori.

26

Il Medioevo è un’epoca di viaggi e di viaggiatori. Spinti da motivi politici,

economici, religiosi e militari, uomini di diversa estrazione sociale e diversa provenienza si mettono in cammino sulle strade e per i mari, sfidando i

pericoli delle intemperie e i rischi del brigantaggio e della pirateria.

27

L’uomo medievale, quindi, può essere considerato un “homo

viator”, un uomo in cammino, in un’epoca anch’essa in continuo

movimento ed espansione.

(Renato Stopani, Le Vie del Pellegrinaggio del Medioevo, 1995)

28

Qualche puntualizzazione terminologica…

29

“Etimologicamente, il termine pellegrino deriva dalla parola latina peregrinus che ha come radice per ager, che significa

attraverso i campi”

(Roberto Lavarini, Il Pellegrinaggio Cristiano, dalle sue Origini al Turismo Religioso, 1996)

30

Nel diritto romano, il termine peregrinus indica colui che non gode della cittadinanza romana,

quindi semplicemente uno straniero o un viandante.

31

Solo successivamente tale termine acquisisce un’accezione religiosa

indicando “chi compie un percorso per incontrarsi con il sacro”.

32

Il pellegrinaggio durante il Medioevo

per i cristiani, esso diventa metafora della condizione umana

33

1) Pellegrinaggio di richiesta, ossia quello taumaturgico, che ha la

finalità di ottenere una grazia da Dio.

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2) Pellegrinaggio votivo, cioè quello compiuto in segno di riconoscimento per un voto

esaudito, per una grazia ricevuta.

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3) Pellegrinaggio penitenziale compiuto dal cristiano per

riscattarsi dalle proprie colpe.

36

4) Pellegrinaggio vicario con il quale si afferma la figura del

pellegrino professionista, ovvero un vicario disposto a compiere il viaggio al posto di qualcun altro, ovviamente dietro compenso.

37

I riti della partenza:

38

Quando l’uomo medievale decide di partire per un pellegrinaggio deve

considerare una serie di problematiche:

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1) il finanziamento: egli deve, infatti, procurarsi il denaro

necessario per compiere il viaggio, per il soggiorno negli ospizi e per le

offerte al santuario.

40

2) il pellegrino deve anche considerare le perdite economiche che la sua assenza causerà alla sua famiglia, un’assenza che potrebbe

anche durare anni o addirittura protrarsi per sempre.

41

3) il testamento: pellegrino deve fare testamento specificando i nomi degli

eredi nonché quelli di coloro incaricati di amministrare i suoi beni durante

l'assenza. Inoltre, viene spesso indicato nei testamenti il periodo di

tempo entro il quale il pellegrino può essere considerato morto. Alcuni

stabiliscono persino il periodo trascorso il quale la moglie può

ritenersi libera di risposarsi. 42

4) la custodia dei beni: dopo aver concluso il testamento, i beni del

pellegrino passano in custodia agli amici. Ma nel caso in cui egli non abbia

amici, i beni passano in custodia al clero che li custodisce per un anno e un giorno. Trascorso tale periodo, se

nessuno li richiede, può venderli e con il ricavato celebrare messe in suffragio

dell'anima del pellegrino ritenuto ormai morto. 43

5) la richiesta di perdono: poiché il requisito fondamentale per il

cristiano che si prepara al lungo pellegrinaggio è la purificazione, prima della partenza il pellegrino deve chiedere perdono a coloro

che ritiene d’aver offeso, per poter poi fare una sincera confessione.

44

Di solito la cerimonia di benedizione da parte del parroco o del vescovo si svolge privatamente,

ma per i pellegrinaggi di massa verso la Terra Santa o Santiago è

prevista una funzione pubblica che si tiene nella cattedrale e alla quale può partecipare tutta la comunità.

45

Dopo essersi confessati e aver ricevuto la penitenza, i pellegrini si inginocchiano davanti all’altare e vengono cantati loro i sette salmi della penitenza, una litania e nove

orazioni.

46

A questo punto si procede con il rituale della vestizione che prevede la benedizione e la consegna delle

varie componenti del suo abbigliamento, cioè le insegne del pellegrino: il bordone e la bisaccia.

47

Il pellegrino non fa ritorno a casa senza portare con sé un ricordo del

suo viaggio. Compiuto il suo voto, egli ha due obiettivi: 1) procurarsi un

oggetto che sia intriso della santità della reliquia visitata, qualcosa che

contenga un po’ del suo potere taumaturgico; 2) portarsi a casa una

testimonianza del pellegrinaggio compiuto.

48

Tale è lo status dei pellegrini che si arriva alla costituzione di un gruppo giuridicamente organizzato, un ordo peregrinorum. Già a partire dall’ XI

secolo una legge stabilisce che chiunque osi arrestare o catturare,

ferire o uccidere un pellegrino venga scomunicato.

49

Ma è a partire dal XIII secolo che viene elaborata una vera e propria lex peregrinorum, una legislazione

internazionale il cui obiettivo è la protezione del pellegrino, sia nella sua

persona che nelle sue proprietà, difendendolo dagli svantaggi insiti nel

suo essere straniero.

50

51

In sintesi, la struttura del pellegrinaggio è alla base

dell’esperienza turistica moderna:così come il pellegrino, anche il

turista si sposta da un luogo familiare ad un luogo ignoto, per

far infine ritorno al luogo familiare.

52

Pellegrinaggio medievale / viaggio come movimento circolare

53

Tales from the Middle Ages:Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales

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The Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories written in Middle English by

Geoffrey Chaucer (1343-1400) at the end of the 14th century. The tales (mostly in verse, although some are in prose) are

told as part of a story-telling contest by a group of pilgrims as they travel together

on a journey from Southwark to the shrine of Saint Thomas Becket at

Canterbury Cathedral. 55

56

The Prologue (in modern English)

When fair April with his showers sweet,Has pierced the drought of March to the root's feet

And bathed each vein in liquid of such power,Its strength creates the newly springing flower;

When the West Wind too, with his sweet breath,Has breathed new life - in every copse and heath -

Into each tender shoot, and the young sunFrom Aries moves to Taurus on his run,

And those small birds begin their melody,(The ones who sleep all night with open eye,)

Then nature stirs them up to such a pitchThat folk all long to go on pilgrimage.

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And wandering travellers tread new shores, strange strands,Seek out far shrines, renowned in many lands,

And specially from every shire's endOf England to Canterbury they wend

The holy blessed martyr there to seek,Who has brought health to them when they were sick.

It happened in that season that one dayIn Southwark, at the Tabard, where I lay

Ready to travel to that holy site -To Canterbury, with my spirits bright,

There came at evening to that hostelryA group of twenty-nine, a company

Of various folk, to new found friendship comeBy happy chance - and pilgrims every one

That for the Canterbury shrine were bound.

58

The bedrooms and the stables were well found.There for our comfort was none but the best.

And briefly, when the sun had sunk to rest,Since I spoke to them all in a friendly way,

I was quite soon ‘one of the crowd’ you might say.We planned next day to be ready to go

At first light; to where, you already know.

Nevertheless, while I have space and time,Before I go further in this tale of mine,

I feel the most natural thing to do,Is to picture each of this group for you,

To tell you how they all appeared to me -What sort they were and what rank they might be,

And what they wore, the clothes they were dressed in;And first then with a knight I shall begin.

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The Knight

There was a knight, a fine and worthy manWho from the time at which he first began

To ride abroad had loved all chivalry,Truth and honour, freedom and courtesy.Most worthily he fought in his lord's wars,Had ridden more than any in that cause.By men of Christian or of heathen birth,

Was always widely honoured for his worth.

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The Prioress

There was also a nun, a Prioress,Her smiling was modest and without fuss;

Her greatest oath was, "By St.Elgius!"And she was known as Madam Eglantine.

In a clear voice she sung the words divine,All intoned most properly through her nose.

She spoke French precisely, as do thoseWho follow the school of Stratford-by-BowFor the French of Paris she did not know.

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Her table manners were the best of allNo crumb or morsel from her lips would fall

She dipped her fingers lightly in her bowlOf sauce and carefully lifted the whole

Up to her mouth so none fell on her front.Politeness and good manners were her wont:

She wiped her upper lip completely cleanSo on the cup no spot of grease was seenWhen she replaced it after drinking wine;

The way she took her food was most refined.

62

The Monk

There was a Monk. Here was a rising man;All the estates of his abbey he ran,

He loved to hunt, was forceful and well ableto be an abbot. There were in his stable

Fine horses. When he rode out you could hearTheir bridles jingling on the wind as clearAnd quite as loudly as did the chapel bell

At that priory where he had charge as well.63

The DoctorThere was a Doctor of Medicine with us,

No other man had such a marvellousKnowledge of physic and of surgeryFor he was grounded in astrology.

The treatment he gave each hour would keep trackOf ascending signs in the zodiac.

He knew which star to inscribe on each charmWhich his patients wore to keep them from harm,

Could find where the sickly imbalance must lieIf in too much hot, or cold, or moist, or dry

And the ailment's origin and humour;He was a wonderful practitioner.

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The Cook

This was not all, they had a Cook besides,To boil chicken and marrowbone, well spicedWith tart powder and pounded cyperus root -

A connoisseur of London ale to boot,He could roast and boil and griddle and fry,Make ground-meat pottage and bake a pie.

65

66

A new geography of the world

discovery voyages in the fifteenth and sixteenth century

(Christopher Columbus)

To sum up, travelling means

1) discovery of “new worlds” and cultures;

2) suffering and even death (voyage to the unknown);

3) new knowledge

67

Etymologically speaking, the word tourism derives from the verb tour

meaning "travel." Travellers, whether alone or in a group, date back to ancient times—the sign,

perhaps, of an innate need in man.

68

The Italian word viaggio comes from the Latin via – which

indicates a linear movement along a line.

The English word travel comes from the French word travail =

suffering, labour

69

Interestingly enough, in this idea of “linearity” there is no room for coming back: in ancient times, travellers were no sure of their

return home.

70

But during the seventeenth century, the word tour (from the

French) joins the word travel. Tour comes from the Latin word

tornare = to turn, to go round

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More specifically, in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries the word tour referred to the act of «going or travelling round from

place to place, a round, an excursion or journey including the visiting of a number of places in a

circuit or sequence» (Oxford English Dictionary)

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Linearity VS Circularity

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of the voyage, with a point of departure (but with no pre-arranged return)

of the tour, with a circular movement implying, at the end, a return in the original place