Cu manualele RLS în sala de curs. Articolul definit. Probleme de abordare

Abstract

As the definite article in Romanian is of major importance in communication, this study focuses on how it is presented in Romanian textbooks for foreign learners, including Italian students. In the first part of the text I approach the definite article from a theoretical standpoint. I deliver my findings in tables so that the distinctions between various textbooks will be easy to follow. In the second part I employ an applied approach as I am interested in commenting on foreign students’ errors in their process of learning Romanian, and in proposing a series of exercises which may help them understand the correct usage of Romanian noun phrases in which definite and indefinite articles occur. I reach the conclusion that it is imperative: to present grammatical information gradually, from simple to complex issues; to explain both the similarities and the differences between Romanian (foreign language) and the students’ native language (Italian), by offering students contrastive explanations; and to create exercises in which noun phrases are put in contexts thus underlining the definite article’s functionality in an effective and correct manner.