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 basic aim of the course is to provide students with the main principles of general linguistics and the theoretical and technical knowledge required for the different levels of linguistic analysis

At the end of the course, students will be able to:

•     reflect on the nature of the linguistic sign and identify the basic elements of the structure of a language, the main properties of natural language and the main typological tendencies of languages;
•     analyse the structure of words, sentences, utterances and interactions at the phonetic and phonological, morphological, morphosyntactic, syntactic, lexical and semantic, pragmatic and information-structural levels;
•     recognise the main dimensions of structural variation and social variability in natural languages
•     apply the basic principles of historical linguistics and the historical-comparative method; know how to analyse and correctly interpret specific cases of phonetic, phonological, morphological and syntactic change;

Following the 12 cfu course, students will also be able to:

•     recognise the main isoglosses of the Italo-Romance varieties;
•     identify the main structural aspects that characterise the evolution from Latin to Romance;
•     apply the criteria for classifying Italo-Romance dialects as part of the Romance languages;
•     outline the history of the Ligurian dialects;
•     outline the main elements of the historical grammar of Genoese.

PREREQUISITES

The course does not require specific prerequisites.

TEACHING METHODS

Lectures.

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).

Morphosyntax: inflectional classes; gender; agreement.

Syntax: valency; types of phrases; analysis of sentences into immediate constituents; constituent order; representation of sentence syntactic structure using tree diagrams; transformation rules.

Lexicon and semantics: meaning and reference; analysis of meaning into semantic features; lexical relations; mental lexicon; dictionaries; lexical stratification; special languages.

Pragmatics and information structure: mplications and presuppositions; presupposition and assertion; given/new and theme/rema; speech acts and conversational maxims

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; main structural features.

ANCIENT AND MODERN LIGURIANS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN

The Ligurian substrate: the problem of substrate, substrate and contact, the "acutissima delle spie liguri".

Historical grammar of Ligurian dialects: diachronic phonology; diachronic morphology; elements of syntax.

The linguistic history of Genoese: the expansion of Genoese in the Mediterranean.

The syllabus applies to both attending and non-attending students. The latter are kindly requested to contact the teacher (who is also available for online group office hours, see office hours) at least two months before the scheduled examination date.

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:
• The paper Sostrato e teoria del sostrato: la disputa sui Liguri, which will be uploaded to AulaWeb.
• A script about Romance and Ligurian Linguistics, which will be uploaded to AulaWeb.
• A selection of papers from Il genovese tra Liguria e Mediterraneo, second part of the volume Circolazioni linguistiche e culturali nello spazio mediterraneo, edited by V. Orioles and F. Toso, Recco, Le Mani, 2008, and from Linguistica di aree laterali ed estreme, F. Toso, Recco, Le Mani, 2008.

NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS

The bibliography applies to both attending and non-attending students. The latter are kindly requested to contact the teacher (who is also available for online group office hours, see office hours) at least two months before the scheduled examination date.

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

LESSONS

LESSONS START

First semester: Monday 30th September.

Second semester: Monday 24th February.

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam worth 6 CFU consists of an oral test.

The exam worth 12 CFU consists of an oral test.

Erasmus students not proficient in Italian may request a substitutive bibliography, and take the examination in English, French or German.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The examination will assess the student's knowledge of the general linguistic topics covered during the course and acquired through individual study of the texts listed in the examination bibliography. In particular, the ability to classify and analyse forms at the phonetic/phonological, morphological, morphosyntactic, syntactic, semantic and pragmatic levels and to identify their lines of change and variation will be assessed.

In the case of 12 cfu examination, the ability to outline the main characteristics of the transition from Latin to Romance languages, of Italo-Romance dialects in the Romance landscape and of Ligurian dialects in the Italo-Romance landscape will also be assessed, with particular reference to the history and spread of these varieties, which are the subject of the monographic course.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Students with disabilities or DSAs are reminded that in order to request accommodations for the exam, they must first enter their certification on the University website at servizionline.unige.it in the "Students" section. The documentation will be verified by the University Services for the Inclusion of Students with Disabilities and the DSA Sector (https://rubrica.unige.it/strutture/struttura/100111).

Then, at least 10 days before the date of the exam, an email must be sent to the teacher with whom you will take the exam, including in the knowledge copy both the School's Teacher Referent for the Inclusion of Students with Disabilities and DSA (Prof. Elisabetta Colagrossi: elisabetta.colagrossi@unige.it) and the above-mentioned Sector. The email should specify: the name of the teaching; the date of the request; the student's last name, first name and roll number; the compensatory aids and dispensatory measures considered functional and required.

The contact person will confirm to the lecturer that the applicant is entitled to request adjustments the examination and that these adjustments must be agreed upon with the lecturer. The lecturer will reply to say whether the requested adjustments can be made. Requests should be sent at least 10 days before the date of the examination in order to allow the lecturer(s) to assess the content. In particular, if you intend to make use of conceptual maps for the exam (which must be much more concise than the maps used for study), there will not be the technical time to make changes if the submission is not made in time.

For further information on the request for services and adaptations, please refer to the document: https://unige.it/sites/unige.it/files/2024-05/Linee%20guida%20per%20la%20richiesta%20di%20servizi%2C%20di%20strumenti%20compensativi%20e_o%20di%20misure%20dispensative%20e%20di%20ausili%20specifici%20Maggio%202024.pdf