L’uso dei Vangeli nell’insegnamento di una lingua straniera

The article shows the didactic and cultural value of a passage from the Gospel used in teaching a foreign language, namely German. Although the texts in the Holy Bible are a translated version, the linguistic analysis of one of them can be used in teaching units for the last two years of High School. Prototype for this study is Jesus’ parable of the Lost Son, analyzed working on the German official version taken from the 'Einheitsübersetzung' ("Das Gleichnis vom verlorenen Sohn", Lk15, 11-32). The passage shows a particular linguistic richness: although characterized by a simple language, it is very useful for a historic and cultural investigation at the interdisciplinary level. The passage shows several linguistic forms. These are useful to strengthen knowledge of the main grammatical forms (verbal modes and tenses), the syntactic characteristics of the German language, as well as the main forms of reported speech and narrative techniques. Focus on characters, typical of Gospel’s narrations, contributes to the didactic experience inviting students to reflect. Stimulated by different types of questions (about attitudes as well as contents), students are challenged to verify the different attitudes of the main characters, in order to reflect on the text as well as on themselves.