30923 - General Linguistics 1 (GR. 1)

Academic Year 2011/2012

  • Docente: Sergio Scalise
  • 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

The student will be able to understand the basic modules od language: phonology, morphology, syntax and semantics and their possible interrelations both synchronically and diachonically. He will also know the most relevant 'paradigms' of theorerical linguistics and their epistemologic bases. The student will also have an idea of the various types of linguistics: psychologuistics, sociolingusitics, lexicology, computational linguistics, etc.He will be albe to analyze a text at different levels: phonological, morphological, sintactic and semantic.

Course contents

Properties of human language. Linguistic levels (phonology, morphology, syntax and semantics). Native speakers - Rules and representations- Semantics, syntax, morphology and their interrelations- Linguistic Typology

Syncronic and diachronic aspects. Abstractness-  Langue and parole - Code and message. Competence and performance. Syntagmatic and paradigmantic aspects- Linguistic sign. Functions of language-  

 Phonetics- Phones and phonemes - Classification of sounds - Phonological oppositions- Allophones - Brackets. Linguistic significative generalizations. Assiliations. suprasegmental facts-

 Morfology ·      Definitions-         inflection ·       Prefixes and suffixes      -Lexical categories ·       Lemmatization ·       Classes of words

Categories and subcategories  ·       morphemes morphematic analysis ·       Morfemes: free and bound, gramatical and lexical    Problematic aspects of the notion of morpheme.

Lexicon        Morphemes and meaning  ·       Word Formation rules ·       Allomorphy and suppletion ·      Abstract nouns and result nouns ·       Compounding        The head in compounds -       Percolation-        Classification of compounds-   Compounds and phrases   ·       Plural in compounds. Deverbal compounds.

·       Properties of syntax- Mentalism and innatism-  Parameters of universal grammar - Phrases -  Sentences - Classification of sentences - Transformations - Subject and predicate Inflectional categories

·       Theoretical linguistics versus sociolinguistics -  Sociolinguistics and sociology of language . centralization in Martha's Vineyard - Linguistic community - Codes and subcodes - Communicative competence.

-Indouropean families. Phonetic laws - Linguistic change.


Readings/Bibliography

Giorgio Graffi - Sergio Scalise, Le lingue e il linguaggio, Bologna, Il Mulino.
Ferdinand de Saussure, corso di linguistica Generale, Bari, Laterza (le prime 163 pagine)
Nicola Grandi, Tipologia, Roma, Carocci.

Teaching methods

Metodology is both theoretical and empirical: theoretical modles are confronted with lingguistic data from various languages of the world

Assessment methods

The exam is written: 15 open questions. The student will be required to give definitions and produce analysis of linguistic data.

Teaching tools

Web sites of linguistics - database - MorboComp

Office hours

See the website of Sergio Scalise