Learning outcomes

The Building Blocks of Language: Syntax and Semantics

Teaching Aims

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

Program

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
*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.


Texts marked by * will be a available at a copy shop near the University, starting from the beginning of the course.


Advanced and Optional:

Violi, Patrizia (1996) Significato ed Esperienza, Milano, Bompiani
Saeed, John I. (2003) Semantics, London, Blackwell

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

Examination Methods

Two options:
a) two intermediate tests for attending students (80% attendance to class is required). The mark of both tests will have to be 18/30 or higher. In case of failure in one of the two, it will be possible to sit for the exam (see b)) in June or July (only the Summer session) and take only the relative part of the exam.

b) 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 Language 1); English B2 level.



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