English III (2011/2012)

Learning outcomes

The course aims to provide in-depth knowledge of English textual analysis, drawing special attention to text typologies and the relevant characteristics of each text type, based on De Beaugrande and Dressler’s (1980) model. By the end of the course, students will be able to correctly identify the main features of different text typologies and to appropriately produce suitable texts, depending on the context at hand.

Text Analysis and Text Types


The course aims to provide in-depth knowledge of English textual analysis, drawing special attention to text typologies and the relevant characteristics of each text type, based on De Beaugrande and Dressler’s (1980) model. By the end of the course, students will be able to correctly identify the main features of different text typologies and to appropriately produce suitable texts, depending on the context at hand.

Course Syllabus

The main topics covered will be:
- Conversational Implicature
- Speech Act Theory
- Text, context and co-text; text vs. non-text;
- De Beaugrande and Dressler’s (1980) model of textual analysis;
- Standards of Textuality;
- The notions of text type and genre;
- Writer, recipient and purpose of the message;
- Classification of various txt types and analyses of texts;


Reading List*:

Texts for the Written Part of the Exam

Biber Douglas (1989) “A Typology of English Texts” Linguistics 27: 3-43
De Beaugrande Robert and Wolfgang U. Dressler (1980) Introduction to Text Linguistics, London, Longman (Basic Notions)
Culpeper Jonathan et al., (2009), English Language. Description, Variation and Context, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan (Ch. 29 The Structures of Conversation; Ch. 30 Language, Reality and Power, Ch. 31 Politeness in Interaction, Ch. 35 Language and Politics)
Grady, J. (2007). “Metaphor”, in Geeraerts, D. and Cuyckens, H., (Eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Cognitive Linguistics. Oxford: OUP.
Huang, Yan (2006) Pragmatics, Oxford, Oxford University Press (Ch. 1; Ch.2: 23-35; 54-63; Ch.3; Ch.4 : 93-131; Ch. 5)
Lakoff, Robin Tolmach (2009) “Conversational Logic” in J. Verschueren and J.Ola Ostman (eds.) Key Notions for Pragmatics, Amsterdam, John Benjamins: 102-113.
Merlini Barbaresi Lavinia (2003) “Towards a Theory of Text Complexity” in L. Merlini Barbaresi (ed.) Complexity in Language and Text, Pisa, Edizioni Plus
Trosborg, Anna (1997) “Text Typology: Register, Genre and Text Type”, in A. Trosborg (ed.) Text Typology and Translation, Trosborg, Anna (ed.), Amsterdam, John Benjamnins: 4-23.


Texts for the Oral Part of the Exam

Lorenzetti, Maria Ivana (2008) “The Complexity of Political Discourse”, In M. Bertuccelli Papi, A. Bertacca and S. Bruti (eds.) Threads in the Complex Fabric of Language and Text. Linguistic and Literary Essays in Honour of Lavinia Merlini Barbaresi, Pisa, Felici Editore:
Lorenzetti, Maria Ivana (2008) “The Null Instantiation of Objects as a Polysemy-Trigger. A Study of the English verb See” Lexis - E-Journal in English Lexicology , vol. 1 , 1: 59-83.
Merlini Barbaresi Lavinia (2003) “Towards a Theory of Text Complexity” in L. Merlini Barbaresi (ed.) Complexity in Language and Text, Pisa, Edizioni Plus
Leech Geoffrey and Jenny Thomas (1990) “Language, Meaning and Context:Pragmatics” in N. Collinge (ed.) An Encyclopaedia of Language, London, Routledge: 173-206.
Van Dijk T. (2008) “Discourse and Manipulation”, in Discourse and Power, London, Palgrave: 211-236



* Additional references will be indicated at the beginning of the course. Every possible variation in the reading list will also be announced through the course website.

Advanced and optional:

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

The exam consists in
a) a written test on textual analysis..
b) an oral exam, for which students can sit after having passed the written exam. The oral exam will focus on a series of articles, which will be made available at the beginning of the course.

Students who attended at least 80% of the course may opt for a written test at the end of the course. The date will be announced during the course. In this case no oral exam will be required.

Alternatively, the first test will be in the Summer session (June-July)

The final mark is comprehensive of the CLA C1 Certificate and will be registered after completing the various parts in the exam.
As from A.A. 2006/2007, students who wish to sit for the Lingua Inglese 3exam, must have obtained the CLA- C1 certificate before the exam.

Prerequisites: Lingua Inglese 2 (English Language 2); CLA C1