12647 - Sociolinguistics (1)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the students will be acquainted with main topics in sociolinguistics and will gain advanced knowledge of sociolinguistic variation of Italian. Moreover, students will acquire basic knowledge of some data analysis tools widely used in sociolinguistics. With this competence, students will be aware of sociolinguistic variation of languages (specifically of Italian) and will be familiar with description patterns of sociolinguistic variation. Moreover, they will be able to use categories and methods of sociolinguistic in order to describe and analyze language facts.

Course contents

Students enrolled in Master's degree programmes are kindly requested to choose the Master's-level course in Sociolinguistics.

Sociolinguistics is the branch of linguistics that studies the relationship between language and society. It examines how social factors—such as social class, age, sex and gender, geographical background, educational experience, and others—influence the way we use language, and how language, in turn, shapes social dynamics and contributes to the construction of individual and collective identities.

Throughout the course, these broad issues will be explored, whenever possible, through the analysis of real-life case studies and individual experiences.

In particular, the course will address, among other topics:

• the fundamental concepts and analytical categories for the study of sociolinguistic variation;

• the relationship between language and society;

• the varieties of contemporary Italian and their main features;

• the critical re-examination of the notions of rule, exception, and error.

Finally, the course will consider the practical implications of these issues, with particular attention to their application in educational contexts.

Readings/Bibliography

- Berruto, G. / Cerruti, M. (2015 o 2019), Manuale di sociolinguistica, Torino, Utet

- Ballarè, S. / Fiorentini, I. / Miola, E. (a cura di) (2024), Le varietà dell'italiano contemporaneo, Roma, Carocci

- Appunti e slide delle lezioni

Students who do not attend the course are also required to prepare one of the following readings.

Fiorentini, I. (2026), L'italiano dei social network, Roma, Carocci

Fiorentino, G. (2019), Variabilità linguistica, Roma, Carocci

Grandi, N. (a cura di) (2015), La grammatica e l'errore, Bologna, BUP

Palermo, M. (2026), Scrivere è bene, riscrivere è meglio, Roma - Bari, Laterza

(For students attending the course, these readings are optional.)

Teaching methods

The course will primarily consist of lectures, but students will be encouraged to take an active part in the discussion of specific topics and in the collection and analysis of data and other materials relevant to the issues addressed.

If class size permits, part of the course will be devoted to a workshop activity, to be carried out either individually or in small groups.

PowerPoint slides and other supporting materials will be used during the lectures and will be made available on the Virtuale platform at the end of each teaching week.

Assessment methods

The assessment consists of an oral examination covering the course syllabus. The examination is designed to evaluate students' ability to engage critically with the topics discussed during the course, as well as their acquisition of the basic principles of linguistic analysis and of the relevant technical terminology.

Particular emphasis will be placed on students' ability to establish independent connections among the different topics covered in the course. Students will always be invited to begin the examination by introducing a topic of their choice and then develop links between that topic and other issues addressed during the lectures.

To achieve the highest marks, students are expected to demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the course content, together with a confident command of the appropriate disciplinary terminology. A predominantly mechanical or rote knowledge of the material, limited analytical and synthetic skills, or language that is generally correct but not always technically appropriate will result in satisfactory marks. Gaps in knowledge and/or inappropriate use of disciplinary terminology—even where a basic understanding of the examination material is evident—will lead to a pass mark at most. Significant gaps in knowledge, inappropriate terminology, and an inability to engage with the main topics covered during the course will result in a failing grade.

Students are required to register for the examination through the AlmaEsami online system. If the number of registered candidates is high, the examination session may be divided into successive groups. The schedule of these groups will be announced after registration has closed.

Teaching tools

Lecture slides

Supplementary readings

Workshop activities (where applicable)

Office hours

See the website of Nicola Grandi