OVERVIEW

The course in General Linguistics provides an introduction to the theoretical and methodological foundations of the scientific study of languages and language. The teaching focuses on the following topics: the fundamental properties of human language; the main levels of linguistic analysis (phonetics and phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics); the criteria for the classification of natural languages based on genealogical and typological bases; the dimensions of linguistic variation; the study of Italian dialects within the Romance linguistic framework.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course intends to provide the most important theoretical and practical tools that are necessary for a linguistic analysis of words, utterances and verbal interactions in Italian and the main European languages. Particular attention is paid to phonetics and phonology, morphology and word formation processes, syntax, semantics, pragmatics, typology and (historic and contemporary) language variation.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The fundamental purpose of the course is to provide students with the main principles of general linguistics and the theoretical and technical knowledge necessary for linguistic analysis at different levels.

At the end of the course, students should:

• Understand the nature of linguistic signs, the fundamental elements of language structure, and the main properties of natural language.
• Be able to analyze words, phrases, sentences, and verbal interactions in Italian at different levels (phonetic/phonological, morphological, syntactic, semantic) using the techniques and tools acquired during the course.
• Learn the different classification criteria for dialects and languages of the world, as well as the main linguistic families and subfamilies attested.
• Be familiar with the main dimensions of variation in natural languages.
• Acquire the fundamental notions of historical linguistics and the historical-comparative method; be able to analyze and correctly interpret some cases of phonetic, phonological, morphological, and syntactic change.
• Acquire the fundamental notions of dialectology and sociolinguistics.

PREREQUISITES

The course does not require specific prerequisites.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

6 CFU

Language and languages: the nature of linguistic signs; the fundamental properties of human verbal language; the origin of language; structuralism and generativism.

Linguistic typology: genealogical classification of European and world language families; morphological and syntactic typology; linguistic universals.

Phonetics and phonology: the vocal apparatus; phonemes, allophones, and phonemes of Italian; phonetic/phonological transcription; minimal pairs; major phonological phenomena; syllables; suprasegmental features.

Morphology: types of morphemes; decomposition of words into morphemes; morphological processes (inflection, derivation, composition, and other processes).

Syntax: valency; types of phrases; analysis of sentences into immediate constituents; representation of sentence syntactic structure using tree diagrams; inflectional categories; generative rules.

Lexicon and lexicology: mental lexicon; dictionaries; lexical stratification; special languages.

Semantics (and pragmatics): sense and reference; analysis of meaning in semantic features; lexical relations; tautologies, contradictions, implications, and presuppositions; the theory of speech acts.

Sociolinguistics and synchronic variation: the main dimensions of variation in natural languages (diastratic, diafasic, diatopic, diamesic); language, society, and identity.

Diachronic variation: linguistic reconstruction and Indo-European; phonetic, phonological, morphological, syntactic, and semantic changes; major mechanisms of linguistic change; grammaticalization and reanalysis.

12 CFU (in addition to the above topics):

Dialectology and linguistic geography: standard language and dialects; dialects in Italy; bilingualism and diglossia; pidgin languages and creole languages.

Foundations of Romance linguistics: the historical-comparative method applied to Romance languages; the Latin-Romance transition; typology and classification of Romance languages.

Italian dialects: overview of Italian dialects; classification criteria and isoglosses; major structural traits.

LIGURIAN DIALECTS

Linguistic history of Liguria: Ligurian varieties; the expansion of Genoese; the relationship with Italian; the dialect today.

Focus on the historical grammar of Ligurian dialects: diachronic phonology; diachronic morphology; elements of syntax.

Characteristics of Ligurian dialects: word structure and vowel and consonant quantity; verbal morphology.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

ATTENDING STUDENTS

6 CFU 

• Berruto, G., Cerruti, M., Linguistica. Un corso introduttivo, UTET, Torino.
• De Saussure, F., Corso di linguistica generale, Roma-Bari, Laterza (any edition).
• Additionally, the materials provided and uploaded to AulaWeb.

12 CFU

• The aforementioned texts, as well as:
• Toso, F. (2002), Liguria, in: M. Cortelazzo, C. Marcato, N. De Blasi e G.P. Clivio (eds.). I dialetti italiani. Storia struttura uso, UTET, Torino, pp. 196-225.
• Toso F., (2019), Il genovese. Cenni di storia linguistica, Version 2 (22.09.2019, 14:31), in: R. Bauer e T. Krefeld (eds.), Lo spazio comunicativo dell’Italia e delle varietà italiane, Version 88. In: Korpus im Text, url: http://www.kit.gwi.uni-muenchen.de/?p=12746&v=2.
• Additionally, the materials provided and uploaded to AulaWeb.

NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS

6 CFU 

• As the attending students

12 CFU 

• The bibliography for the 6 CFU course, and also:

• Toso, F. (1995), Storia linguistica della Liguria, vol. 1, Dalle origini al 1528, Le Mani, Genova.

• Materials uploaded on AulaWeb.

Additional in-depth readings (not mandatory for exam preparation) and materials for exercises will be indicated during the lessons and on AulaWeb.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

LORENZO FILIPPONIO (President)

ROSA RONZITTI

IRENE DE FELICE (President Substitute)

GUIDO GIOVANNI BORGHI (Substitute)

SIMONE TURCO (Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

03/10/2023

Class schedule

GENERAL LINGUISTICS

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam worth 6 CFU consists of an oral test.

The exam worth 12 CFU consists of an oral test.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The exam will assess the students' theoretical knowledge of various topics in general linguistics covered during the course, derived from their individual study of the texts indicated in the exam bibliography, as well as their ability to classify and analyze forms at the phonological, morphological, syntactic, and semantic levels.

Exam schedule