04336 - Semiotics (M-Z)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student has acquired a good command of the basic concepts of the discipline and the ability to make basic semiotic analysis of verbal texts, especially short narratives.

Course contents

The first part of the course examines and explains basic concepts in linguistics and semiotics, together with practical exercises of lexical semantic analysis; the second part provides the tools for the discursive and semio-narrative analysis of texts.

Lessons treat of the following topics:

1. Signs, signification and communication.

2. Basics of linguistics (phonetics/phonology, morphology, syntax).

3. Languages: language system / process; expression / content; commutability / non-conformity; regency / combination).

4. Lexical semantics: paradigmatic relations (with practical exercises).

5. Lexical semantics: syntagmatic relations (with practical exercises). Arbitrariness.

6. Towards a semiotic redefinition of "text": textual structures; the interpretative cooperation.

7. Semantic analysis of a text: lexemes and isotopies.

8. The semio-narrative structures: narrative and storytelling; fabula / plot; ideological structures (values) and actantial structures; modalities and narrative programs.

9. Case studies and practical exercises of analysis of short narrative texts.

10. The discursive structures: the enunciation; author and reader.

Readings/Bibliography

1. G. Graffi - S. Scalise, Le lingue e il linguaggio, Bologna: Il Mulino, 2013, chapters 4, 5, 6, and 7.
2. C. Marmo, Segni, linguaggi e testi: semiotica per la comunicazione, Bologna: BUP, 2015 (2nd ed.).
3. La semantica dei frame di Ch. J. Fillmore. Un'antologia di testi, ed. by C. Marmo, Bologna: Pàtron, 2017, chapters 4, 7, 8, and 9.
4. U. Eco, Lector in fabula. La cooperazione interpretativa nei testi narrativi, Milano, Bompiani, 2001, chapters 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7.

Teaching methods

The course is divided into two parts. In the first part, the basic concepts of linguistic and semiotic theory are presented, along with practical exercises of lexical semantic analysis . The method is mainly that of lecturing, but it requires the frequent intervention of students. Practical exercises of lexical semantic analysis are carried out with a self-correction method, or collective discussion of the results of an analysis-model. The second part is devoted to an introduction to the analysis of narrative texts, combining lectures and practical exercises.

Class attendance, given the practical nature of the educational goals of both the first and the second part, is highly recommended.

Assessment methods

Examination is composed of 4 parts:

1. Multiple choice test
2. Paper of Lexical Analysis
3. Text Analysis
4. Oral exam

1. The multiple choice test is on the first part of the course and is intended to ascertain the command of the theoretical foundations and the analytic tools developed by linguistics, frame semantics, and semiotics, and the ability to analyze different semiotic and communication phenomena by means of those tools.

2. A paper of lexical analysis is made on a word chosen by the student within a selection given by the teacher. The paper is intended to ascertain the ability to conduct a semantic analysis of a word of the Italian language with the aid of one or more dictionaries.

3. The text analysis is made on a short narrative; the analysis is intended to ascertain the ability to conduct an analysis with the tools of narrative semiotics.

4. The oral exam is on the second part of the course; it is intended to ascertain the command of frame semantics, encyclopaedic semantics, as well as narrative and discursive structures.

The details of the examination process will be defined at the beginning of the course in February 2024.

Evaluation will take account of the propriety and the adequacy of written and oral linguistic expression.

Exam registration is online.

The vote will be assigned by calculating the average of the votes assigned to each answer to individual questions, taking into account the following evaluation levels:

30 cum laude: excellent performance showing soundness of knowledge, rich discursive articulation, appropriate expression, interest of critical contribution;

30: Excellent performance, complete, and appropriate knowledge, well-articulated and appropriately expressed, with interesting critical contributions;

29-27: Good performance, more than satisfactory knowledge, correct expression.

26-24: Standard performance, essential knowledge, but not comprehensive and/or not always correctly expressed;

23-21: Sufficient performance, general but superficial knowledge; often inappropriate expression and/or confused articulation of speech;

20-18: Poor performance, sufficient expression and articulation of speech with significant gaps;

<18: Insufficient performance, knowledge absent or very incomplete, lack of orientation in the discipline, poor and seriously flawed expression.

Teaching tools

Additional materials used in class will be made available to students (follow the link: Teaching materials).

Office hours

See the website of Francesco Bellucci