48
Glottology and Linguistics
UNIVERSITÀ DEGLI STUDI DI NAPOLI "L'ORIENTALE"
Overview
Date/time interval
Syllabus
Course Objectives
The course aims to provide students with an introduction to historical-comparative linguistics through its most extensively studied subject in the history of scholarship: the Indo-European languages. Armenian will serve as the basis for comparison. The language will be examined in the uniqueness of its historical tradition (marked by the adoption of a national alphabet) and in its genealogical relationships with other Indo-European languages. In this framework, the expected learning outcomes consist of the student’s awareness of the historical nature of linguistic phenomena and their knowledge of the principal comparative relationships within the Indo-European language family.
Course Prerequisites
Candidates must have passed an introductory-level examination worth at least 8 ECTS credits in the scientific-disciplinary sector of Glottology and Linguistics (L-LIN/01; new denomination GLOT/10-A). More specifically, essential requirements include: knowledge of the main analytical tools in phonetics, phonology, morphology, lexis and syntax. Additionally, candidates should demonstrate the ability to contextualise these tools within the history of linguistics from the 18th century onwards, and to apply them to the analysis of multiple specific languages.
Teaching Methods
The course will consist of 48 contact hours, during which the following activities will take place:
1. Lectures on the history and main arguments of Indo-European linguistics, introducing the main theoretical foundations and analytical methods of historical linguistics.
2. Demonstration of these principles through case studies drawn from the comparison of Indo-European languages.
3. Introduction to the philology of a specific Indo-European branch (Armenian), including fifth-century Armenian texts.
4. Practical application of historical grammar and Indo-European etymology through linguistic commentary on short ancient Armenian texts.
Assessment Methods
Assessment method and examination structure: The examination consists of an oral test conducted differently for attending and non-attending students. Attending students will be assessed through two components: first, they must demonstrate general knowledge of the introductory course content and texts listed under points 1-2 of the bibliography; second, they will be required to translate into Italian and provide a historical-grammatical commentary on a selected passage from course materials, drawing on texts listed under points 3-4 of the bibliography and lecture materials.
Non-attending students will be examined solely on the bibliography through an initial discussion testing general knowledge of Indo-European linguistics (points 1-2), followed by a technical assessment focusing on the grammatical features of Armenian (particularly Parthian) from both synchronic and diachronic perspectives (points 3-4). Examinations may be taken during any scheduled session within the current academic year, with the syllabus remaining valid for three academic years. The examination will be conducted in Italian. Evaluation criteria include: the student's ability to select and analytically present content using appropriate terminology while providing relevant examples, as well as their capacity to apply learned analytical methodologies to specific case studies.
Texts
The bibliography consists of four texts:
1. Paolo Milizia, Le lingue indoeuropee, Rome, Carocci, 2002.
2. One of the following two works:
a) James Clackson, Indo-European Linguistics: An Introduction, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2007;
b) Émile Benveniste, Le vocabulaire des institutions indo-européennes, Paris, Minuit, 1969, 2 vols. (or its Italian translation: Il vocabolario delle istituzioni indoeuropee, Turin, Einaudi, 1976, 2 vols.).
3. Walter Belardi, Elementi di armeno aureo. I. Introduzione, la scrittura, il sistema fonologico, Rome, Il Calamo, 2003.
4. Walter Belardi, Elementi di armeno aureo. II. Le origini indoeuropee del sistema fonologico dell’armeno, Rome, Il Calamo, 2006
Contents
Course title: Introduction to Indo-European linguistics: Armenian
List of topics:
1. The Indo-European languages.
2. Origins and development of Indo-European linguistics.
3. Indo-European phonology: the consonant system.
4. Indo-European Phonology: the vowel system.
5. Elements of Indo-European morphology
Armenian among the Indo-European languages.
6. Introduction to Armenian script.
7. Historical grammar of short texts in the Armenian language.
Course Language
Italian