B016722 - THEORETICAL LINGUISTICS (B)

italian

The course will deal with the main stages of the history of linguistic comparison, focusing on the theoretical bases and on the methods of analysis related to the genealogical and typological comparison applied to the languages of the European area.

G. Graffi, Breve storia della linguistica, Roma, Carocci, 2019.
E. Magni, La linguistica storica, Bologna, Patron, 2004.
E. Banfi, N. Grandi, Lingue d'Europa, Roma, Carocci, 2003.
J.J. Song (ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Linguistic Typology, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2011.

The required readings include the further materials analyzed in class, which students can find in the Moodle platform.

1. Knowledge and understanding: Students will possess detailed knowledge and understanding about the historical-epistemological framework in which the linguistic comparison was born, as well as about the theoretical notions and methodological tools used in the linguistic comparison.
2. Applying knowledge and understanding: Students will learn how to apply processes, models and theories to linguistic data and to linguistic phenomena.
3. Making judgements: Students will be able to address and discuss the issues raised during the course, suggesting original perspectives and well-grounded judgements on the topics discussed in class.
4. Communication skills: Students will be able to communicate information, ideas, problems and solutions about the themes and the questions discussed in class, using the appropriate scientific terminology.
5. Learning skills: Students will acquire a historical-methodological knowledge, as well as the necessary tools to understand and correlate the acquired knowledge with the knowledge learned in the other courses.

A good knowledge of the fundamental notions of general linguistics is required.

Lectures and seminars.

The course takes place in the first semester.
Further information will be given at the beginning of the course.

Oral exam with questions about different parts of the course; students will be asked also to provide explanations of theoretical questions and to comment on examples.
The correct use of specialized terminology and clarity in presenting and comparing different theories and data are also required.

The linguistic comparison:
- comparison methodology
- genealogical comparison and classification of languages into families
- diachronic rules and reconstruction of the proto-languages
- typological comparison and classification of languages into types
- area and linguistic convergence of the contact.