English II - Lezioni (2008/2009)

Learning outcomes

The course aim is to provide an introduction to the study of the English language from a syntactic and semantic perspective.

The main topics covered will be:

Syntax:
- The Building Blocks of Language: Words, Word Classes and Phrases
- Clauses and Sentences (both Simple and Complex)
- Predicates, Arguments and Thematic Roles

The Information structure of the English Sentence:
- Given and New Information (topic and focus);
- Variation in the Structure of the Sentence (fronting, inversion, cleft sentences, extraposition, existential sentences)

Lexical Semantics:

- The Structure of the English Lexicon;
- Currently available Lexicographic Resources for the Study of the English Lexicon;
- Levels of Meaning;
- Main Sense Relations (syntagmatic, paradigmatic)
- The representation of Meaning: Componential Analysis, Semantic Fields, Prototype Theory, Frame Semantics


Reading List:

Aarts, Bas (2001) English Syntax and Argumentation, 2nd edition, London, Palgrave Macmillan (Ch. 1-6; Ch.7: 7.1, 7.2, 7.4; Ch.8: 8.2; Ch. 9: 9.2, 9.4, 9.5; Ch.11: 11.1-11.2; Ch.12:12.2)
Crystal, David (1995) The Cambridge Encyclopaedia of the English Language, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press (Ch. 8 - The Nature of the Lexicon: 117-123; Ch. 9 – The Sources of the Lexicon: 124-135; Ch. 11- The Structure of the Lexicon: 156-169)
Fillmore, Charles and Beryl T. Atkins (1992) "Toward a Frame-Based Lexicon: The Semantics of RISK and its Neighbors" in Adrienne Lehrer and Eva Feder Kittay (eds.) Frames, Fields and Contrasts, Hillsdale, N.J., Lawrence Erlbaum Associates: 75-102
Jeffries, Lesley (2006) Discovering Language. The Structure of Modern English, London, Palgrave (Ch. 6; 7.5-7.8)
Petruck, Miriam (1996) “Frame Semantics” in Jef Verschueren, Jan-Ola Östman, Jan Blommaert, and Chris Bulcaen (eds.). Handbook of Pragmatics, Philadelphia, PA: John Benjamins. Saeed, John I. (2003) Semantics, London, Blackwell


Advanced and Optional:

Violi, Patrizia (1996) Significato ed Esperienza, Milano, Bompiani

Additional bibliographic references will be indicated during the course. Class presentations will be made available on-line during the course.

Grammar Textbooks:

Biber, Douglas, Susan Conrad and Geoffrey Leech (2002) Longman Student Grammar of Spoken and Written English, London, Longman

Dictionaries:

- Collins Cobuild English Language Dictionary for Advanced Learners, 2nd Edition, Collins
- Merriam Webster English Dictionary
- Hoepli Advanced Learner’s Dictionary Inglese-Italiano/Italiano-Inglese (2008), Milano, Hoepli
-Grande Dizionario Inglese Hazon Garzanti, nuova edizione 2008, Milano, Garzanti

A final written test including open questions, exercises and analyses. The test will last 2 hours and will be in English.
Students may sit for the exam, starting from the first summer session (June-July). The final mark is comprehensive of the CLA Certification and will be registered after completing the various parts in the exam.

Prerequisites: Lingua Inglese 1; English B2 level.

Final Remarks: students are advised to check the course homepage regularly for an updated version of the program.