48
Glottology and Linguistics
UNIVERSITÀ DEGLI STUDI DI NAPOLI "L'ORIENTALE"
Overview
Date/time interval
Syllabus
Course Objectives
EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES
The course aims to contribute to a high level of knowledge of linguistic theories and methodologies and techniques for analyzing linguistic systems, particularly with regard to vocabulary and lexical meaning, including those used in specific fields. The perspective adopted is that of the cognitive approach to languages and language. From this perspective, students will gain awareness of the role that certain conceptual and linguistic processes play in the formation of vocabulary (derivation, composition, formation of multi-word units, including idiomatic ones) in Italian and other languages, including those being studied. This will additionally help to strengthen their mastery of the Italian language and their awareness of its structures, also in relation to usages in special purposes variants.
ABILITY TO APPLY KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
At the end of the course, students should be able to demonstrate their ability to apply the concepts and analytical methods they have learned in order to describe the conceptual processes, including metaphor and metonymy, that guide word formation and the functioning of lexical meaning, and that underlie phenomena such as polysemy and meaning change, also, from a multilingual perspective, in the comparison between different languages. They should be able to recognize the role that different categorical structures, as well as different knowledge structures, such as frames, domains, and idealized cognitive models, play in characterizing the meaning and use of words and in the phenomena of polysemy and meaning shifts. They should also demonstrate an ability to understand and comment on the contents of the scholarly essays and scientific contributions included in the exam program.
ADDITIONAL EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Independent judgment:
Students will acquire the ability to compare the analytical models proposed by the cognitivist approach with other models that have emerged in different theoretical and methodological frameworks in recent linguistics, as well as to independently apply the acquired concepts and methodologies to the analysis of linguistic data in the languages of study as well as in the Italian language.
Communication skills:
The expected outcome is a greater ability to frame, present, and discuss issues related to linguistic structures, with particular reference to lexicon and semantics, including from a comparative perspective between different theoretical paradigms and different linguistic systems and subsystems.
Learning skills:
The course will help to build a solid foundation on which to base further advanced linguistic studies such as doctorates, master's degrees, or other advanced courses in languages and in theoretical and/or applied linguistics.
Course Prerequisites
A good knowledge of Italian and good metalinguistic reflection skills combined with adequate basic knowledge of linguistics are essential. Knowledge of an additional language is useful.
Teaching Methods
The course includes lectures, during which students will be actively involved in identifying the phenomena illustrated in their languages of study and in other languages they are proficient in. In addition, there will be opportunities to reflect on terminological and translation issues that can be found in the texts used in the course.
Assessment Methods
The exam consists of an oral test aimed at assessing the acquisition of the notions covered in the course and the ability to connect the various theoretical and methodological concepts learned in a comprehensive and coherent discourse, as well as the ability to apply them to the analysis of linguistic data of Italian and the languages studied.
Language of the exam: Italian.
Assessment criteria: the coherence of the presentation of the topics covered in the course and the completeness of the information provided in the answers will be assessed, as well as the correct use of specialist terminology and the ability to apply the theories and methods learned to the procedures of linguistic data analysis, as well as the ability to compare the models of analysis proposed by the cognitivist approach with other models that have emerged in different theoretical and methodological trends in recent linguistics, which are also contrastively addressed in the course program.
The assessment is out of thirtieths.
N.B.: Those who will take the exam with the non-attending program are requested to notify the professor by email 3 days before the exam date.
Texts
1. John R. Taylor. La categorizzazione linguistica, edited by S. Giannini, Quodlibet editore, second edition 2003, or third edition 2007
2. Damiani M. Manuale di Semantica Cognitiva, Libreriauniversitaria.it, 2016, Padova.
3. W. Croft e A. Cruse Linguistica Cognitiva, Italian edition by S. Nuraghi, Carocci editore, 2010
4. Federica Casadei “Significato ed esperienza”. In: Semantica, ed. by D. Gambarara, Carocci Editore 1999., pp. 79-116.
5. George Lakoff "Teorie della metafora" In: Elementi di linguistica cognitiva, George Lakoff, Mark Johnson; edited by M. Casonato e M. Cervi. - Urbino: Edizioni QuattroVenti, 1998 (or the revised and corrected 2002 reprint)
Additional reference texts and study materials made available by the instructor, as well as the specific sections of the texts that will be used, will be indicated at the beginning of the course and during the lessons. The final, detailed program will be communicated at the end of the course and which will be published in the “Risorse Utili” section of the professor's “Pagina personale” on the University website.
The program for non-attending students is the same as for attending students. Therefore, non-attending students are advised to enroll in the Microsoft Teams classroom created by the professor to support the course, in order to stay up to date on specific details and possible changes.
Contents
Course title: Cognitive Approaches to the Lexicon.
1. Cognitive Linguistics compared to the main current theoretic trends in linguistic studies.
2. The cognitive approach to the structure of lexicon and to the phenomenology of lexical meaning.
3. Conceptual and linguistic categorization, and the notion of prototype: applications to the analysis of the lexicon and of semantics.
4. The organization of linguistic knowledge in domains, spaces and frames.
5. The application of different models of categorial structure and of knowledge structures to the analysis of meaning.
6. Polysemy and semantic change, also in the transfer of terms from the common language to specialized languages.
7. Metaphor and metonymy in lexical semantics, word formation, and in idiomatic expressions.
10. Issues in the translation of terminology in cognitive linguistics.
Course Language
Italian
More information
The program for non-attending students is the same as for attending students. Therefore, non-attending students are advised to enroll in the Microsoft Teams classroom created by the professor to support the course, in order to stay up to date on specific details and possible changes.
For some of the reference texts, students have the option of using the original English version.