ENGLISH LINGUISTICS

The course is part of the studies in theoretical linguistics, language sciences and English Linguistics
In order to take part in all the activities, students must enrol in the virtual classroom https://moodle.unive.it/course/view.php?id=2995
The general objectves of the course are:
Consolidate knowledge and understanding of formal syntax, with particular regard, but not limited to minimalist syntax. Empower the students' ability of applying knowledge and understanding while formulating a hypothesis, collecting data, presenting an argument in an effective way.
The student is expected to develop autonomy of judgements in bibliographical search, motivated adoption of the theoretical framework. The student is expected to be able to express constructive and motivated criticism on the literature consulted as well as the work of the peers.
Oral communication skills are developed while preparing a public oral presentation. Written communication skills are exerciced in the presentation of an abstract of one's original research project.
For those who are taking the module as Comparative syntax 2 mod 2, the learning objectives are confirmed at a higher level.
The interaction between first and second year students, on specific topics that vary each year allows for the two cohorts to interact in and mutually support the acquisition of
- deep knowledge of specific theoretical and empirical domains
- more and more solid comprehension of the processes of analysis in theoretical and comparative syntax, reinforced in the iterated application of the methodologies to different empirical domains,
- more solid research abilities of primary and secondary resources, i
- critical but fair interaction among peers of progressive levels

1. knowledge and understanding
The student knows the minimalist framework and understands the literature that refers to in, with particular regard to the syntax of nominal expressions in the English language in a comparative perspective.
The student knows the main phenomena that arise in the syntax of quantified nominal expressions in English and understands divergences and convergences in macro/microvariation with other familiar and unfamiliar languages.
The student knows the general syntax-semantic interaction and understands how it applies to the empirical domain of quantified nominal expressions in English.
The student knows and understands the macrovariation between English and other languages, and/or the microvariation between different diachronic stages of the English language, different regional varieties, different competences as L1, L2, L3 in biligual speakers.

2. Applying knowledge and understanding:
The student is able to conduct bibliographical search for a personal research project on an empirical domain negotiated with the instructor, using webresources such as catalogues (Cerca'; Opac; ecc.); and digital archives (Wos, Scopus, MLA International Bibliography, Linguistics and Language Behaviour Abstracts, Ebrary, Ebsco, etc.).
The student is able to select bibliographical resources, use them in a critical and argumented fashion, pointing out convergences and divergences between alternative hypotheses, spelling out empirical predictions and the contriution of each hypothesis to the understanding of the phenomenon, pointing out the empirical filed work needed to validate alternative hypotheses.
The student is able to design a theoretical or applied research project.
The student is able to collect data through on-line or bibliographical resources.
The student is able to correctly analyse the data in autonomy and with sound methodology.

3. Making judgements:
The student is able to formulate a hypothesis, providing original empirical evidence and original theoretical arguments in favor or against it.
The student is able to capture points of divergence and convergence between alternative hypotheses.
The student is able to distinguish disseminative from scientific sources.

4. Communication skills:
The student is able to argument in oral form and with appropriate terminology an original work of research.
The student is able to present in the form of an abstract the empirical domain, research questions, methodology, and expected results of their project.
The student is able to prepare materials related to her/his presentation
The student is able to present her/his contribution in the given time (20 mins + 10 mins discussion).
The student is able to interact with the pears, the instructor, the vising professor exercicing critical capacities and fairness of approach.

5. Learning skills:
The student is able to deepen and update her/his knowledge of English linguistics for the successful completion of the MA course and in the life-long education, to support his/her professional carrier.
The student is able to find and read part of the references present in the handbooks and recommended in the virtual classroom.

A basic knowledge of general linguistics, which can be achieved by previous attendance of general linguistics 2 (LT2300) o English Linguistics (LT2660) or through readings to be done at the beginning of the course.

1-2. Basic Tools of Analysis
3. Constituents, phrases, and phases
4. The null article in English
5. Indefiniteness, aspect and quantification
6. Quantifier Scope
7. The Partitive Construction
8. Different types of partitive PPs
9. Nominal Ellipsis
10. Protocols of indefiniteness
11. Pseudo-partitive constructions
12. Protocols of partitivity
13-15. Student Presentations

The tools of analysis can be acquired through:
Giusti, G. (2015) Nominal Syntax at the Interfaces. Newcastle upon Thyne: Cambridge Scholars Press. Chapters 1-2.
Chapters of the following Refence Works
Carnie, Andrew; Sato, Yosuke; Siddiqi, Daniel (eds.) (2014). The Routledge Handbook of Syntax. London ; New York : Routledge.
den Dikken, Marcel (ed.) (2013). The Cambridge Handbook of Generative Syntax, Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
van Riemsdijk, Henk & Martin Everaert (eds). (2017). The Blackwell Companion to Syntax 2nd edition. London. Blackwell

The following is a list of references to be taken as the starting point of the student's bibliographical seach to ground the final presentation.
Barker, Christopher. 1998. “Partitives, Double Genitives and Anti-Uniqueness.” Natural Language and Linguistic Theory, 16: 679–717.
Barwise, Jon, and Robin Cooper. 1981. “Generalized Quantifiers and Natural Language.” Linguistics and Philosophy, 4 (2): 159–219
Cardinaletti, A. & Giusti (2018) Quantitative Expressions and Quantitative Clitics. In H. van Riemsdijk & M. Everaert (eds). The Blackwell Companion to Syntax 2nd edition. London. Blackwell
Czirmaz, A. & M. Stavrou (2017) Measure Phrases and Semi-lexical Nouns. In H. van Riemsdijk & M. Everaert (eds). The Blackwell Companion to Syntax 2nd edition. London. Blackwell
Dogaru, M. (2017) Partitive constructions. In H. van Riemsdijk & M. Everaert (eds). The Blackwell Companion to Syntax 2nd edition. London. Blackwell
Giannakidou, A. % H. Zeijlstra The Landscape of Negative Dependences: Negative Concord and N-words. In H. van Riemsdijk & M. Everaert (eds). The Blackwell Companion to Syntax 2nd edition. London. Blackwell
Gunther, Ch. (2013) The Elliptical Noun Phrase in English: Structure and Use. London, Routledge.
Jackendoff, Ray S. 1968. “Quantifiers in English.” Foundations of Language, 4: 422–442.
Kiss, K. E. & Pafel (2017) Quantifier Scope ambiguity. In H. van Riemsdijk & M. Everaert (eds). The Blackwell Companion to Syntax 2nd edition. London. Blackwell
Lobeck, A. & P. Sleeman (2017) Ellipsis in Noun Phrases. In H. van Riemsdijk & M. Everaert (eds). The Blackwell Companion to Syntax 2nd edition. London. Blackwell
Meroni, L. A. Gualmini, S. Crain 2007 The strength of the universal quantifier in child language. Proceedings of the 2nd Conference on Generative Approaches to Language Acquisition North America (GALANA), ed. Alyona Belikova et al., 277-284. Somerville, MA: Cascadilla Proceedings Project. http://www.lingref.com/cpp/galana/2/paper1568.pdf
Milsark, Gary. 1977. “Towards an Explanation of Certain Peculiarities in the Existential Construction in English.” Linguistic Analysis, 3: 1–30.
Selkirk, Elisabeth. 1977. “Some Remarks on Noun Phrase Structure.” In Formal Syntax, edited by Peter W. Culicover, Thomas Wasow, and Adrian Akmajian, 285–325. London: Academic Press.
Szabolcsi, A. (2008) The syntax of scope. Baltin, M. & Ch. Collins (eds) The Handbook of Contemporary Syntactic Theory. Wileay, London.

Submitted abstract (10%), assessing written communication skills and the capacity to synthetically present the empirical environment, theoretical framework, research questions, methodology, and expected results.
Oral presentation of an original research topic (90%) assessing the correct application of knowledge and understanding (30%), autonomy of judgements with respect to the adopted framework (30%) and the capacity of defending the overall proposals (30%).

Class lectures, research seminars with visiting professors, virtual classroom

English

oral