04336 - Semiotics (F-N)

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 will examine and explain, starting from concrete cases, the basic concepts of linguistic and semiotic theories, together with practical exercises of lexical semantic analysis; the second part will provide the theoretical tools to address the semiotic analysis of texts.

The lessons will focus mainly around the following themes:

1. Signs, signification and communication.

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

3. Languages: Language system / process; Expression / Content; Commutability / Noncoformity; 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 (with practical exercises).

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. Graffi-Scalise, Le lingue e il linguaggio, Bologna: Il Mulino, 2013, cap. 4, 5, 6, 7
2. C. Marmo, Segni, linguaggi e testi: semiotica per la comunicazione, Bologna: BUP, 2015 (seconda edizione aggiornata).
3. La semantica dei frame di Ch. J. Fillmore. Un'antologia di testi, a cura di C. Marmo, Bologna: Pàtron, 2017 (cap. 4, 7, 8, 9)
4. U. Eco, Lector in fabula, Milano, Bompiani, 2001, cap. 1, 3
5. Greimas-Courtès, Semiotica. Dizionario ragionato della teoria del linguaggio, Milano, Mondadori, 2007, voci: Attante, Attore, Débrayage,  Embrayage,  Programma narrativo, Quadrato semiotico, Schema narrativo

Teaching methods

The course is divided into two parts.

In the first half, moving from concrete cases, the basic concepts of linguistic and semiotic theories will be presented, together with lexical semantic analysis through practical exercises. The method will be mainly that of lecturing, so organized as to require the frequent intervention of students. The practical exercises of lexical semantic analysis will be carried out with a self-correction method, or collective discussion of the results of an analysis-model.

The second part is dedicated to the introduction to the analysis of narrative texts, and sides lectures with practical exercises. Class attendance, given the practical nature of the educational goals of the second part, is highly recommended.

Assessment methods

Exam is composed of three tests:

1. multiple choice Quiz qith theoretical and applicative questions
2. lexical analysis
3. textual analysis

For attending students the exam is divided into two parts: an in itinere test and a final test.

The in itinere test consists of a multiple choice Quiz (“in itinere Quiz”) on the first part of the course (during class the teacher will indicate which texts are to be studied for this part) and a lexical analysis to be submitted before taking the in itinere Quiz.The lexical analysis is of a word chosen by the student from a triplet assigned by the teacher.

The in itinere test is aimed at ascertaining:

1. the command of the theoretical foundations and of the theoretical analysis tools developed by linguistics, frame semantics and semiotics, examined during the first part of the course;
2. the ability to analyze different semiotic and communication phenomena by means of those theoretical tools.
3. the ability to conduct, with the aid of one or more dictionaries, a semantic analysis of a word of the Italian language.

The final test consists of a multiple choice Quiz (“final Quiz”) on the second part of the course (during class the teacher will indicate which texts are to be studied for this part) and a textual analysis to be to be submitted before taking the final Quiz. This test is aimed at ascertaining:

1. the command of the theories of frame semantics, narrative and discursive structures in semiotics;
2. the ability to use semiotic tools in the analysis of a short narrative texts, with particular reference to semantic structures (isotopies and ideological structures);
3. and their narrative structures (narrative and actantial relations programs).

  In the evaluation of this final test we will first look at the result of the multiple choice test. If the grade is insufficient, and if the test grade was insufficient even in the first partial, the exam will be considered globally insufficient. If, on the other hand, the grade is insufficient but the test grade in the first partial has been sufficient, then the analysis of the text will also be corrected,  to make the average. The important point is that an exam that has not had at least one of the two multiple-choice tests sufficient is not considered sufficient.

Those who intend to improve their marks can also request to have an oral examination, on the whole program, to be held during office hours.

All types of test will take account of the propriety and the adequacy of written and oral linguistic expression.

Teaching tools

During the lessons the teacher will use slides and exercises conducted with Kahoot.

Office hours

See the website of Anna Maria Lorusso