The Course “General Linguistics 1B” (“Syntax and the Languages of the World”) falls within the domain of the Basic learning activities labelled “Philology, General and Applied Linguistics” of the Degree Course in Languages and Cultural-Linguistic Mediation, specifically the activities aiming at providing adequate tools for the analysis and the theoretical study of languages and language.
The module has the aim to provide competences on syntactic analysis and skills in the application of the acquired abilities in the comparison between different languages; knowledge of the diverse types of classification (languages families; typological and areal linguistics), critical reflection on the different levels of linguistic analysis, including the relation between the formal, semantic and pragmatic aspects of languages (“interfaces”). Expected learning outcomes:
The students will understand the distinction and relation between the different levels of analysis and will be able to apply universal rules of phrasal composition to different languages, reflecting on and accounting for some major syntactic phenomena.
The module has the aim to provide competences on syntactic analysis and skills in the application of the acquired abilities in the comparison between different languages; knowledge of the diverse types of classification (languages families; typological and areal linguistics), critical reflection on the different levels of linguistic analysis, including the relation between the formal, semantic and pragmatic aspects of languages (“interfaces”). Expected learning outcomes:
The students will understand the distinction and relation between the different levels of analysis and will be able to apply universal rules of phrasal composition to different languages, reflecting on and accounting for some major syntactic phenomena.
Curriculum
teacher profile teaching materials
In particular, this B Part deals 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, genealogical classification of languages and their origin.
- Typological classification; morphologic and syntactic typology. Comparative analysis. Ergativity.
Including: Introduction, ch. 1-7, Appendix (parts indicated in the index with a white background)
Programme
The main objective of this course is to introduce students into the study of the theory and methods of General Linguistics – a subject of crucial importance for a Course of Study on "Languages and Mediation", with a specific focus on syntax. To this purpose, the basic notions of formal linguistics are illustrated, though at an elementary level, integrating theory with practice, through examples and homework to be discussed during the classes.In particular, this B Part deals 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, genealogical classification of languages and their origin.
- Typological classification; morphologic and syntactic typology. Comparative analysis. Ergativity.
Core Documentation
Frascarelli, M., F. Ramaglia and B. Corpina (2012) "Elementi si sintassi". Caissa Italia - Rome/Cesena.Including: Introduction, ch. 1-7, Appendix (parts indicated in the index with a white background)
Reference Bibliography
Chomsky, Noam (1957), Syntactic Structures, The Hague/Paris, Mouton]. Chomsky, Noam (1965), Aspects of the Theory of Syntax, Cambridge, The MIT Press. Chomsky, Noam (1981), Lectures on Government and Binding, Dordrecht, Foris. Chomsky, Noam (1986), Knowledge of language: its nature, origin and use, New York, Praeger. Cinque, Guglielmo (1999), Adverbs and Functional Heads. A Cross-Linguistic Perspec- tive, Oxford/New York, Oxford University Press. Cinque, Guglielmo (ed.) (2002), The Cartography of Syntactic Structures, Vol. I, Functional Structure in DP and IP, Oxford/New York, Oxford University Press. Graffi, Giorgio (2008), Che cos’è la Grammatica Generativa, Roma, Carocci. Rizzi, Luigi (ed.) (2004), The Cartography of Syntactic Structures, Vol. II, The Structure of CP and IP, Oxford/New York, Oxford University Press. Rizzi, Luigi (1997), The Fine Structure of the Left Periphery, in Haegeman, Liliane (ed.), Elements of Grammar. Handbook in Generative Syntax, Dordrecht, Kluwer Academic Publishers, 281-337. Puglielli, Annarita & Mara Frascarelli (2011), Linguistic Analysis. From Data to theory, Berlin, Mouton de Gruyter.Attendance
Attendance is strongly recommended, as is the performance of the exercises that will be assigned weekly. No specific program is planned for non-attending students, who are invited to contact the professor in charge.Type of evaluation
According to the University protocol of 2 May 2022, the examinations will be held in presence, at the University premises. In particular, they will be done in a written mode, through a questionnaire with 20 questions on the entire syllabus, to be completed in 60 minutes. A mid-year test is scheduled on the part of the program carried out up to that point. teacher profile teaching materials
In particular, this B Part deals 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, genealogical classification of languages and their origin.
- Typological classification; morphologic and syntactic typology. Comparative analysis. Ergativity.
Including: Introduction, ch. 1-7, Appendix (parts indicated in the index with a white background)
Mutuazione: 20710719 LINGUISTICA GENERALE 1 B in Lingue e mediazione linguistico-culturale L-12 R FRASCARELLI MARA
Programme
The main objective of this course is to introduce students into the study of the theory and methods of General Linguistics – a subject of crucial importance for a Course of Study on "Languages and Mediation", with a specific focus on syntax. To this purpose, the basic notions of formal linguistics are illustrated, though at an elementary level, integrating theory with practice, through examples and homework to be discussed during the classes.In particular, this B Part deals 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, genealogical classification of languages and their origin.
- Typological classification; morphologic and syntactic typology. Comparative analysis. Ergativity.
Core Documentation
Frascarelli, M., F. Ramaglia and B. Corpina (2012) "Elementi si sintassi". Caissa Italia - Rome/Cesena.Including: Introduction, ch. 1-7, Appendix (parts indicated in the index with a white background)
Reference Bibliography
Chomsky, Noam (1957), Syntactic Structures, The Hague/Paris, Mouton]. Chomsky, Noam (1965), Aspects of the Theory of Syntax, Cambridge, The MIT Press. Chomsky, Noam (1981), Lectures on Government and Binding, Dordrecht, Foris. Chomsky, Noam (1986), Knowledge of language: its nature, origin and use, New York, Praeger. Cinque, Guglielmo (1999), Adverbs and Functional Heads. A Cross-Linguistic Perspec- tive, Oxford/New York, Oxford University Press. Cinque, Guglielmo (ed.) (2002), The Cartography of Syntactic Structures, Vol. I, Functional Structure in DP and IP, Oxford/New York, Oxford University Press. Graffi, Giorgio (2008), Che cos’è la Grammatica Generativa, Roma, Carocci. Rizzi, Luigi (ed.) (2004), The Cartography of Syntactic Structures, Vol. II, The Structure of CP and IP, Oxford/New York, Oxford University Press. Rizzi, Luigi (1997), The Fine Structure of the Left Periphery, in Haegeman, Liliane (ed.), Elements of Grammar. Handbook in Generative Syntax, Dordrecht, Kluwer Academic Publishers, 281-337. Puglielli, Annarita & Mara Frascarelli (2011), Linguistic Analysis. From Data to theory, Berlin, Mouton de Gruyter.Attendance
Attendance is strongly recommended, as is the performance of the exercises that will be assigned weekly. No specific program is planned for non-attending students, who are invited to contact the professor in charge.Type of evaluation
According to the University protocol of 2 May 2022, the examinations will be held in presence, at the University premises. In particular, they will be done in a written mode, through a questionnaire with 20 questions on the entire syllabus, to be completed in 60 minutes. A mid-year test is scheduled on the part of the program carried out up to that point.