13049 - General Linguistics (1)

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.

Course contents

Since this is an introductory course, it is not required to have prior knowledge on the subject.

The course is designed to provide students with the theoretical and methodological tools to understand and analyze human language in its complexity and in its various manifestations, i.e. languages. At first, human language will be contextualized within the larger set of semiotic phenomena, and the main models of linguistic and non-linguistic communication will be compared.

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 focus on the explicit and implicit dimension of meaning, in written text, but also in spoken interaction.

Readings/Bibliography

Handbooks

• Graffi, Giorgio & Sergio Scalise (2013). Le lingue e il linguaggio. Introduzione alla linguistica. Third edition. Bologna: Il Mulino. [chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, excluding paragraphs marked with an asterisk (*)]

• Domaneschi, Filippo & Carlo Penco (2016). Come non detto. Usi e abusi dei sottintesi. Roma: Laterza.

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.

Further resources

It is mandatory to read the slides that will be published every week among the teaching materials of this course, Lon the AMS Campus collection.

Teaching methods

The course is mainly based on lectures . The topics will be explained by referring to real data and examples (both in Italian and other languages). The theoretical discussion will be systematically accompanied by empirical data analysis.

Assessment methods

The exam is designed to assess the level achieved by the student in the understanding of the theoretical tools provided during the course and their application to real language data.

The assessment of the knowledge and skills acquired will be done through a written test and an optional oral exam.

The written test will consist of 30 questions, to be carried out within 2 hours. The questions consist of definitions, closed questions, open questions, exercises based on the analysis of data from different languages. The final grade is given by counting the number of correct answers. The oral exam consists of the correction of the written exam plus an additional question.

IMPORTANT – The exam might turn to an "oral exam" depending on the (COVID-related) situation. Type of questions and assessment criteria remain unchanged.

The topics will cover the course topics: phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, the general notions concerning languages, their relevant variations, the theoretical reflections on linguistic diversity.

The evaluation will be based on:

• the number of correct responses, making it possible to partially correct answers
• formal and exhibition adequacy
• expressive clarity and the ability to organize the argumentation

An excellent rating will be given to those who show that they have a thorough knowledge of the program, expressive and expository mastery, precision in data analysis and in the use of specialist terminology, critical thinking skills.

Intermediate evaluations will be given to those who show that they have studied, but will restrict to a partial knowledge of the issues addressed, will use the terminology loosely, and will show themselves insecure in the data analysis.

Sufficiency will be given in the presence of a mnemonic studio, partially incomplete, that reveals a poor command of the terminology and basic concepts of the language, along with an imprecise and inaccurate analysis of data.

The assessment will be insufficient in the presence of significant deficiencies, inability to argue a theoretical discussion and / or properly analyze the data.

Teaching tools

Beamer, slides and IOL tools.

Office hours

See the website of Alessandra Barotto