69704 - Languages and Speech (LM)

Academic Year 2012/2013

  • Docente: Nicola Grandi
  • Credits: 12
  • SSD: L-LIN/01
  • Language: Italian

Learning outcomes

After the course, students will have a deep knowledge of the key principles of the synchonic analysis of languages. Particular attention will be devoted to morphology and syntax. Students will be able to critically review the main notions of 'traditional grammar', starting from the notions of 'word' and 'part of speech' (Nouns, Verbs, Adjectives, etc.) and to set these notions in the context of a wide cross-linguistic variation. Students will also master the base concepts of linguistic typology.

Course contents

The course 'Lingue e linguaggio' is an advanced course of General Linguistics. The attendance of a basic course in Linguistics is not requested (but t can be useful, of course). The contents of this course are not identical to those of a basic General Linguistics course. The course aims at critically present and review some crucial notions of 'traditional grammars' in a wide cross-linguistic perspective: the notion of word, the notion of sentence, the notion of part of speech, the distinction between transitive and intransitive verbs, etc. It will be shown that phenomena which seems normal in Italian are cross-linguistically very rare and, on the contrary, that Italian does not realize linguistic category that are cross-linguistically widespread. And it will be shown that grammars usually understimate the degree of internal variation of languages. The reference framework will be that of linguistic typology.

Readings/Bibliography

12 cfu - Basile, G. / Casadei, F. / Lorenzetti, L. / Schirru, G. / Thornton, A.M. (2010), Linguistica generale, Roma, Carocci
- Grandi, N. (2003), Fondamenti di tipologia linguistica, Roma, Carocci
- lessons' notes and slides: www.grandionline.net/nicola/didattica

6 cfu
- Basile, G. / Casadei, F. / Lorenzetti, L. / Schirru, G. / Thornton, A.M. (2010), Linguistica generale, Roma, Carocci (capp. 5-6-7-8-9)
- Grandi, N. (2003), Fondamenti di tipologia linguistica, Roma, Carocci
- lessons' notes and slides: www.grandionline.net/nicola/didattica

Teaching methods

Lectures

Assessment methods

Oral exam

Links to further information

http://www.grandionline.net/nicola/didattica

Office hours

See the website of Nicola Grandi