- Docente: Francesca Masini
- Credits: 9
- Language: Italian
- Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
- Campus: Bologna
- Corso: First cycle degree programme (L) in Foreign Languages and Literature (cod. 0979)
Learning outcomes
At the end of the course, the students will be familiar with the
history of linguistics as a discipline and with the main
theoretical models in modern linguistics. The course will provide
the students with the basic notions and procedures for linguistic
analysis, as well as with the appropriate terminology for the study
and description of the main levels of analysis (phonetics and
phonology, morphology and the lexicon, syntax, semantics,
pragmatics) from a basically synchronic perspective. At the end of
the course, the students will know how to classify the languages of
the world genealogically into language families and groups; they
will also acquire basic notions in the field of linguistic
typology, including the search for language universals. Finally,
the students will be acquainted with the different subdisciplines
of linguistics and the most recent developments in the field.
Course contents
The course aims at providing the students with basic tools for the
scientific study of human language and natural languages. Being an
introductory course to general linguistics, it does not require any
previous knowledge. First of all, the course introduces the
semiotic basis of language, together with the notions of “human
language” (which has special properties that takes it apart from
other kinds of artificial languages) and of “natural languages”
(which can vary across space and society, and which can be
classified from a genealogical viewpoint). Secondly, the key
moments of the history of linguistics will be illustrated, with
special reference to modern linguistics (XIX and XX century). The
core of the course will focus of the different levels of
linguistics analysis and the relevant research methodologies:
phonetics and phonology (including the description and use of the
International Phonetic Alphabet); morphology and the lexicon;
syntax; semantics and pragmatics. Finally, the course will describe
how and to which extent the languages of the world may vary and may
be classified from a typological point of view.
Readings/Bibliography
Handbooks
• Graffi, Giorgio & Sergio Scalise (2013). Le lingue e
il linguaggio. Introduzione alla linguistica. Third edition.
Bologna: Il Mulino.
• Grandi, Nicola (2014). Fondamenti di tipologia
linguistica. New edition. Roma: Carocci. [previous editions are also fine]
• Berruto, Gaetano & Massimo Cerruti (2011). La linguistica. Un corso introduttivo. Torino: Utet. [Chapter 1: Il linguaggio verbale; Chapter 5: Semantica; Chapter 8: Cenni di storia della disciplina]
Students who are not attending classes should also read the following book (recommended for all students, but optional for those attending classes):
• Masini, Francesca & Nicola Grandi (2017). Tutto ciò che hai sempre voluto sapere sul linguaggio e sulle lingue. Bologna: Caissa Italia.
Finally, it is highly recommended (mandatory for students who are not
attending classes) to read the slides that will be published
every week among the teaching materials of this course, on AMS Campus.
Teaching methods
The course is mainly based on traditional lectures. Data from
different languages will be presented in both a theoretical and an
empirical perspective.
Assessment methods
The final exam aims at assessing the theoretical knowledge acquired
by the students during the course, as well as their ability to
apply this knowledge to concrete cases of linguistic analysis.
The assessment is carried out by means of a written
examination, which lasts 2 hours and consists of 30 questions.
The questions are of different nature: there are both open and
multiple choice questions, which may deal with both theoretical and
practical aspects of the program. The latter are exercises where
the students should analyze data (from different languages): these
are aimed at assessing their ability to apply the acquired
theoretical notions to concrete cases.
The questions refer to all the topics mentioned in the program (see
description and textbooks sections), both those addressed during
the classes and those that are studied autonomously by the
students. Topics include: basic notions and concepts of general
linguistics, history of linguistics, phonetics and phonology,
morphology and the lexicon, syntax, semantics, pragmatics,
linguistic typology, etc.
The final grade is given by counting the number of correct answers:
each correct answer corresponds to 1 point, incorrect answers to 0
points, partially correct answers are also taken into account.
Criteria for assessing the correctness of the answers include:
qualitative precision, formal accuracy, clarity of writing.
High grades are therefore given to those students who demonstrate
to have a global and harmonious knowledge of the subject and its
specific language/terminology, to communicate ideas in a proper and
clear way and to have acquired adequate analysis skills. A partial
knowledge of the subject and its specific language/terminology, an
overall fair but not perfect way of communicating, and less refined
analysis skills imply average grades. A limited knowledge of the
subject and its specific language/terminology, poor communication
and analysis skills imply low grades. Those students who prove to
have an inadequate and/or insufficient knowledge of the subject (in
both its theoretical and practical parts) and its specific
language/terminology will fail the exam.
Teaching tools
PowerPoint slides and other IT and web resourses will be used in
order to illustrate the contents and to provide examples and
schemas.
Office hours
See the website of Francesca Masini