ITALIAN LINGUISTICS
- Overview
- Assessment methods
- Learning objectives
- Contents
- Full programme
- Bibliography
- Delivery method
- Teaching methods
- Contacts/Info
Spoken and written Italian (Level C1).
Learning assessment consists of one written exam at the end of the course.
The test is structured in three sections:
• closed questions (about 25): filling-the-gap sentences, true/false statements, multiple choice answers from a minimum of three to a maximum of five possibilities;
• exercises (about 5);
• open questions (about 3).
The exam lasts two hours.
Correct answers to closed questions are scored with 1 point. No points are deducted for missing or wrong answers.
The exercises are scored with 3 points each.
The answers to the open questions are evaluated with 5 points each. Points are given according to the following criteria: (i) congruence of the response, (ii) organization of the text, (iii) ability for critical reasoning (iv) relevant use of technical-specialist terms, (v) argument originality.
The course goal is to provide the students with an introduction to the main notions of Theoretical Linguistics applied to the Italian language, which will be examined at the level of phonetics/phonology, morphology, lexicon and syntax. We will then proceed with the study of the variation of Italian (i) over time (history of the language), (ii) in the geographical space (dialects and regional Italians) and (iii) in the social and communicative space (registers and contexts of use).
In addition to the theoretical approach, the course is characterized by a functional and applicative perspective, which aims in particular at the study of texts, written and spoken (Textual linguistics). We will examine the different composition techniques, the information structure and the typologies of texts.
At the end of the course, students will have acquired:
• Theoretical knowledge of the grammar of the Italian language.
• Familiarity with the deep structures of language and linguistic universals.
• Ability to develop generalizations about language which, starting from Italian, can be applied to other languages.
• Awareness of linguistic change and variation.
• Ability to analyze texts, written and spoken.
• Effectiveness in the production of texts, written and spoken.
• Critical thinking in the use of scientific bibliography, in the selection of paper and online sources, etc.
1. Phonetics and phonology
• Articulation of sounds: phones, phonemes, allophones.
• Vowels, consonants, diphthongs.
• The syllable, accent, intonation, prosody.
2. Morphology and lexicon
• Inflectional morphology: types of inflection.
• Lexical morphology: derivation, alteration, compounding.
• Word classes.
• The meaning and relationships of meaning.
3. Syntax
• The phrase, the syntactic categories and the order of the constituents.
• The simple sentence.
• The subject (reference) and the verb (predication).
• The logico-argumental structure: transitivity and intransitivity.
• The complex sentence: coordination and subordination.
• Types of subordinates.
4. The variation
• Over time: a brief history of the Italian language.
• In the geographical space: 'dialects' (= Italo-Romance varieties), regional Italians, linguistic minorities.
• In the social and communicative space: standard and neo-standard Italian, subcode repertoires, linguistic emigration and immigration, linguistic contact.
5. The text
• Coherence and cohesion.
• Reference and cross-reference: context and co-text.
• Anaphora and deixis.
• The distribution of information and marked constructions.
• Type of texts.
1. Phonetics and phonology
• Articulation of sounds: phones, phonemes, allophones.
• Vowels, consonants, diphthongs.
• The syllable, accent, intonation, prosody.
2. Morphology and lexicon
• Inflectional morphology: types of inflection.
• Lexical morphology: derivation, alteration, compounding.
• Word classes.
• The meaning and relationships of meaning.
3. Syntax
• The phrase, the syntactic categories and the order of the constituents.
• The simple sentence.
• The subject (reference) and the verb (predication).
• The logico-argumental structure: transitivity and intransitivity.
• The complex sentence: coordination and subordination.
• Types of subordinates.
4. The variation
• Over time: a brief history of the Italian language.
• In the geographical space: 'dialects' (= Italo-Romance varieties), regional Italians, linguistic minorities.
• In the social and communicative space: standard and neo-standard Italian, subcode repertoires, linguistic emigration and immigration, linguistic contact.
5. The text
• Coherence and cohesion.
• Reference and cross-reference: context and co-text.
• Anaphora and deixis.
• The distribution of information and marked constructions.
• Type of texts.
Reference coursebook:
Palermo, M. (2015). Linguistica italiana. Bologna: il Mulino.
Recommended bibliography:
Andorno, C. (2003). Linguistica testuale. Un’introduzione. Roma: Carocci.
Berruto, G. e Cerruti, M. (2017). La linguistica. Un corso introduttivo. Torino: UTET.
Casadei, F. (2003). Lessico e semantica. Roma: Carocci.
D’Achille, P. (2003). L’italiano contemporaneo. Bologna: il Mulino.
Dardano, M. (2017). Nuovo manualetto di linguistica italiana. Bologna: Zanichelli.
Dardano M. e P. Trifone (1990). La lingua italiana. Bologna: Zanichelli.
Frascarelli, M., Ramaglia, F. e Corpina, B. (2017). Elementi di sintassi. Bologna: Caissa Italia.
Graffi, G e Scalise, S. (2013). Le lingue e il linguaggio. Introduzione alla linguistica. Bologna: il Mulino.
Jesek, E. (2011). Lessico. Classi di parole, strutture, combinazioni. Bologna: il Mulino.
La Fauci, N. (2009). Compendio di sintassi italiana. Bologna: il Mulino.
Librandi, R. (2019). L' italiano: strutture, usi, varietà. Roma: Carocci.
Lorenzetti, L. (2002). L'italiano contemporaneo. Roma: Carocci.
Luraghi, S. e Venier, F. (2009). Esercizi di semantica, pragmatica e linguistica testuale. Roma: Carocci.
Maiden, M. (2017 ristampa). A Linguistic History of Italian. London: Routledge.
Maiden, M. e Parry, M. (1997). The dialects of Italy. London. Routledge.
Marazzini, C. (2015). La lingua italiana. Storia, testi, strumenti. Bologna: il Mulino.
Palermo, M. (2013). Linguistica testuale dell’italiano. Bologna: il Mulino.
Prandi, M. (2006). Le regole e le scelte. Introduzione alla grammatica italiana. Torino: UTET.
Renzi, L., Salvi, G. e A. Cardinaletti (2001). Grande grammatica di consultazione. Bologna: Il Mulino.
Savoia, L. M. (2017). Introduzione alla fonetica e alla fonologia. Bologna: Zanichelli.
Serianni, L. (2006). Grammatica italiana. Torino: UTET.
Serianni, L. e Antonelli, G. (2017). Manuale di linguistica italiana. Storia, attualità, grammatica. Milano: Pearson.
Thornton, A. M. (2005). Morfologia. Roma: Carocci.
Trifone, P. e M. Palermo (2007). Grammatica italiana di base. Bologna: Zanichelli.
Further reference material will be provided from time to time during the lessons and through the e-learning platform.
FRONTAL LECTURES and PRACTICAL ACTIVITIES
The lectures will take place in the classroom on a weekly basis and will be supported by slide shows (PowerPoint). At the end of the lesson, the slides will be available on the University's e-learning platform.
Furthermore, on the e-learning platform students will find predefined folders in which supplementary and in-depth study materials will be available.
For each of the sections of the programme (1-5) there will be exercises, which will be assigned from time to time to the students and then checked by the teacher during the lesson. The exercise keys will also be available on the e-learning platform in a dedicated folder.
Although the submission of the exercise papers is not mandatory, students are strongly encouraged to regularly carry out the consolidation activities, which they can send to the teacher for checking also via email.
Students are also encouraged to actively participate in the discussion of the topics of the course, both during the lesson and in the deferred debates (forums and chats of both platforms).
Students are always welcome to discuss with me any academic matter or issue. Office hours are the following:
• Wednesday, from 9:00 to 10:00;
• on the Teams platform (video-call) to be arranged via email;
• Alternatevely, appointments in presence can also be arranged via email.
Appointments in presence will be held in the Department of Human Sciences and Innovation for the Territory (DiSUIT) at the following address:
Edificio Oriani
Via Marco Enrico Bossi 5
Como 22100
Room 3.1, third floor.
E-mail: francesco.ciconte@uninsubria.it