Programme

The main objective of this course (Parts A+B) is to introduce students into the study of the theory and methods of General Linguistics – a subject having a crucial importance in the relevant “Corso di Laurea Triennale”. To this purpose, the basic notions of linguistics are illustrated – though at an elementary level, integrating theory with the discussion of examples and class exercises.
In particular, this B Part will deal with the following topics:
- Linguistic universals. Principles and Parameters.
- Categories and Functions; the notion of “word”.
- Syntactic analysis: constituency tests, phrase structure, phrasal heads, the head-complement parameter.
- Interfaces: interaction between syntax and the other levels of the grammar (lexicon, semantics, morphology and pragmatics)
- Verb valency. Arguments vs. adjuncts; argument roles.
- Sentential structure; clausal types; null and expletive subject.
- Basic notions of pragmatics, Speech acts; Information structure.
- Major language families, genealogic classification of languages and their origin.
- Typological classification; morphologic and syntactic typology. Comparative analysis. Ergativity

Core Documentation

- Frascarelli, M., F. Ramaglia e B. Corpina (2012) Elementi di sintassi. Caissa Italia – Roma/Cesena. Chapters: Introduction, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, Appendix (excluding the paragraphs indicated with a grey background in the Table of Contents)
- Crystal, D. (1993) Enciclopedia Cambridge delle scienze del linguaggio, P.M. Bertinetto (ed.), Zanichelli, Bologna (Part IX: pp. 283-327).

Type of delivery of the course

Due to the Covid19 emergency, the frontal modality normally adopted for this course has been necessarily modified. The first 3 classes (hence, the first 6 hours) of the course (25/2, 28/2, 3/3) have been held in a 'traditional' way, with frontal lessons. With the lockdown determined by the Covid19 emergency, from March 10th classes have started again online and regularly held (twice a week), following the schedule fixed for frontal lessons. 10 online classes have been thus offered (30 hours), till April 30th. Online classes have been produced using the Zoom platform and the registration of the lesson was always rerun the following morning on a private channel created on Youtube for this purposes (having an average of 200 viewers). At the same time, the Moodle platform has been used to distribute materials, distribute and collect exercises and tasks (all valued and discussed every week), discuss problems and questions in dedicated Forums. Receiving activities were also online, following usual times (3 hours a week).

Attendance

Frequency is recommended. No specific program is planned for non-attending students, who are invited to contact the professor in charge.

Type of evaluation

Given the Covid emergency the evaluation, which is normally obtained through a written exam (necessary, given the great number of students) has been in the a.a. 2019-2020 in a twofold modality, depending on the different Government indications and relevant Rector's Decrees. In particular: 1) In the summer session it was obtained through oral exams, implying a twofold modality: a) Who could follow the online classes and had acquired an "in itinere" evaluation based on exercises, tasks and Forum participation in discussion had that evaluation as a basis for the oral discussion (held in a remote modality through an audio-video meeting with the Microsoft Teams software). The mark thus obtained has been averaged with the mark obtained in the A Module (prof. Cerbasi) to obtain the final evaluation. b) Who could not follow the online classes, or followed the course in the past academic years, has made a written test before the oral exam (distributed and collected through the Moodle platform). That test has been valued and the result communicated to students who could then proceed to the oral exam (held in a remote modality through an audio-video meeting through the Microsoft Teams software) having with that evaluation as a basis. The mark thus obtained has been averages with the mark obtained in the A Module (prof. Cerbasi) to obtain the final evaluation. 2) In the Fall session, after the D.R. of July, 20th, it was possible to resume the usual written modality, held in the premises of the University, in the respect of all the necessary measures ensuring safety and distance . It was naturally left open the possibility to students to hold the exam in the oral modality from home (through Teams), if valid motivation were given and adequately certified (i.e., disability conditions hindering movements and travels, pathologies that increase the possibility of contagium, residence outside the Lazio Region).

Programme

The main objective of this course (Parts A+B) is to introduce students into the study of the theory and methods of General Linguistics – a subject having a crucial importance in the relevant “Corso di Laurea Triennale”. To this purpose, the basic notions of linguistics are illustrated – though at an elementary level, integrating theory with the discussion of examples and class exercises.
In particular, this B Part will deal with the following topics:
- Linguistic universals. Principles and Parameters.
- Categories and Functions; the notion of “word”.
- Syntactic analysis: constituency tests, phrase structure, phrasal heads, the head-complement parameter.
- Interfaces: interaction between syntax and the other levels of the grammar (lexicon, semantics, morphology and pragmatics)
- Verb valency. Arguments vs. adjuncts; argument roles.
- Sentential structure; clausal types; null and expletive subject.
- Basic notions of pragmatics, Speech acts; Information structure.
- Major language families, genealogic classification of languages and their origin.
- Typological classification; morphologic and syntactic typology. Comparative analysis. Ergativity

Core Documentation

- Frascarelli, M., F. Ramaglia e B. Corpina (2012) Elementi di sintassi. Caissa Italia – Roma/Cesena. Chapters: Introduction, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, Appendix (excluding the paragraphs indicated with a grey background in the Table of Contents)
- Crystal, D. (1993) Enciclopedia Cambridge delle scienze del linguaggio, P.M. Bertinetto (ed.), Zanichelli, Bologna (Part IX: pp. 283-327).

Type of delivery of the course

Due to the Covid19 emergency, the frontal modality normally adopted for this course has been necessarily modified. The first 3 classes (hence, the first 6 hours) of the course (25/2, 28/2, 3/3) have been held in a 'traditional' way, with frontal lessons. With the lockdown determined by the Covid19 emergency, from March 10th classes have started again online and regularly held (twice a week), following the schedule fixed for frontal lessons. 10 online classes have been thus offered (30 hours), till April 30th. Online classes have been produced using the Zoom platform and the registration of the lesson was always rerun the following morning on a private channel created on Youtube for this purposes (having an average of 200 viewers). At the same time, the Moodle platform has been used to distribute materials, distribute and collect exercises and tasks (all valued and discussed every week), discuss problems and questions in dedicated Forums. Receiving activities were also online, following usual times (3 hours a week).

Attendance

Frequency is recommended. No specific program is planned for non-attending students, who are invited to contact the professor in charge.

Type of evaluation

Given the Covid emergency the evaluation, which is normally obtained through a written exam (necessary, given the great number of students) has been in the a.a. 2019-2020 in a twofold modality, depending on the different Government indications and relevant Rector's Decrees. In particular: 1) In the summer session it was obtained through oral exams, implying a twofold modality: a) Who could follow the online classes and had acquired an "in itinere" evaluation based on exercises, tasks and Forum participation in discussion had that evaluation as a basis for the oral discussion (held in a remote modality through an audio-video meeting with the Microsoft Teams software). The mark thus obtained has been averaged with the mark obtained in the A Module (prof. Cerbasi) to obtain the final evaluation. b) Who could not follow the online classes, or followed the course in the past academic years, has made a written test before the oral exam (distributed and collected through the Moodle platform). That test has been valued and the result communicated to students who could then proceed to the oral exam (held in a remote modality through an audio-video meeting through the Microsoft Teams software) having with that evaluation as a basis. The mark thus obtained has been averages with the mark obtained in the A Module (prof. Cerbasi) to obtain the final evaluation. 2) In the Fall session, after the D.R. of July, 20th, it was possible to resume the usual written modality, held in the premises of the University, in the respect of all the necessary measures ensuring safety and distance . It was naturally left open the possibility to students to hold the exam in the oral modality from home (through Teams), if valid motivation were given and adequately certified (i.e., disability conditions hindering movements and travels, pathologies that increase the possibility of contagium, residence outside the Lazio Region).