GENERAL LINGUISTICS (INT)
cod. 1005918

Academic year 2024/25
1° year of course - First semester
Professor responsible for the course unit
Domenico Giuseppe MUSCIANISI
integrated course unit
12 credits
hub: PARMA
course unit
in ITALIAN

Course unit structured in the following modules:

Learning objectives

The course Linguistica generale (integrato) – 12 CFU consists of two 6-CFU modules (Linguistica mod. A and Glottologia mod. B) and aims at at an introduction to synchronic linguistics, i.e. the scientific investigation on linguistic processes and description of languages, and at an introduction to the principles of the diachronic evolution of languages, namely historical and comparative linguistics.
Following the Dublin descriptors, throughout the course students learn how
– to know language structures and language evolutionary processes in theory;
– to practice and solve problems in synchronic and diachronic linguistics;
– to autonomously analyze the levels of language, in which they will apply theoretical knowledge;
– to clarify the orders and causes of linguistic process within specific issues;
– to apply theoretical knowledge and practical skills in the study of their chosen languages within the BA program.

Prerequisites

No specific requirements.

Course unit content

The course Linguistica generale (integrato) consists of an introduction in the scientific study of languages with a step-by-step both theoretical and practical approach to the state of languages and their historical development, namely the sounds of languages, word-formation and word order, language use and cultural factor, ancient languages analysis and reconstruction of the original language.

Detailed program can be found in the single modules, Linguistica (mod. A) and Glottologia (mod. B) respectively.

Full programme

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Bibliography

Compulsory handbooks to take the exam:
1– In-class notes, teaching materials and exercises on Elly.
2– ASTORI, Davide & MUSCIANISI, Domenico Giuseppe. 2022. Quindici lezioni di linguistica. Parma: Athenaeum. ISBN 978-88-32-15850-2.
3– LURAGHI, Silvia. 2016 [2021]. Introduzione alla linguistica storica. 2ª ed. Roma: Carocci. ISBN 978-88-290-0531-4 + the whole section of exercises.

For the details, see this section in the single module syllabi: Linguistica (mod. A) and Glottologia (mod. B).

Teaching methods

Traditional lecture with in-class and home exercises of analysis and reconstruction. Because the course is both introductory and technical, students are warmly invited to an active participation. Non-attending students can autonomously integrate lecture materials (slides in Elly) with the "further readings" as indicated in bibliography,

Assessment methods and criteria

Written examination in a single session for the whole course Linguistica generale (integrato) – 12 CFU: 60 questions (multiple choice) within 70 minutes. The access to the oral part of the examination (2 questions) depends on the written result, that can be reassessed in a range of plus or minus 2 marks, depending on the answers to the oral examination (2 questions):
– less than or equal to 15: no admission.
– marks 16–17: compulsory oral examination.
– equal to or greater than 18: discretionary oral examination.

Final evaluation is here described more in detail:

– a fail depends on a lack of knowledge of the basic fundamental contents, a lack of technical vocabulary and failure in resolving the proposed exercises, a lack of autonomous judgement, analysis, argumentation and communication of the contents;

– scores 18–23/30 reveal minimal performance;

– scores 24–25/30 reveal an adequate performance;

– scores 28–30/30 reveal a very good performance and 30/30 cum laude reveals an excellent performance.

Other information

Lectures and in-class exercises consist of an occasion for strengthening and self-evaluation of the program. Students who cannot regularly attend lectures can download all the materials from Elly and can autonomously use the textbooks indicated as "further readings" in the bibliography section. Thus, they can take the exam as described in the specific section of this syllabus. There is no differentiation in exam program for attending and non-attending students. In any case, they can take an appointment with the lecturer during the office hours.

REGISTERING at the EXAM
For a complete procedure of access and registering of the exam Linguistica generale (integrato) – 12 CFU, on Esse3 platform, candidates must sign up for both "Scritto – parziale" and "Orale – completamento". Esse3 is just the platform for the bureaucratic procedure, relating to administrative offices, not the instructor/professor. In any case registering out of the deadlines is not allowed.

Candidates must be present both to the morning exam summon (written) and to the afternoon summon (oral). At the latter convocation, candidates can express their intentions relating to the registering of the exam: accepting or rejecting the written exam score without making the oral part otherwise making the oral part and then accepting or rejecting the full score (written+oral). In any case candidates can not accept only the written score and reject only the oral one. Absence at the oral convocation implicates that the exam will not be registered, even with a positive score in the writing test.

2030 agenda goals for sustainable development

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