GENERAL LINGUISTICS (JAPAN AND KOREA)

This course is among the ones that characterize the Japan and Korea curricula within the degree programme "Languages, Cultures and Societies of Asia and Mediterranean Africa".
The course will provide students with the basics of general linguistics, and aims at easing comprehension of the topics of Japanese and Korean grammar that the students will encounter during their BA studies, yet without overtly addressing any grammar topic of these two languages.

At the end of the course, students will:
- Know the basics of the main branches of linguistics (phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics) and how they are interrelated. Know the main topics of investigation of a number of disciplines of linguistics applied to other sciences (archaeology, social sciences, discourse analysis, geography).
- Know how to approach language data, even from totally unknown languages, and analyze them in a critical way by using the appropriate linguistic terminology. Recognize general tendencies, idiosyncrasies, and linguistic peculiarities in an autonomous way.
- Be able to communicate clearly their knowledge and their own thinking, by using an appropriate language.
- Be able to consult and personally elaborate information contained in the reference literature.

This course has no requirements.

Following an introduction to the discipline of linguistics and its objectives, the first part of the course will address the main branches of linguistics:
- Phonetics
- Phonology
- Morphology
- Syntax
- Semantics
- Pragmatics
At the end of each of these lessons, the students will be assigned some exercises to practice on the topics that will have been discussed in class. This activity should be considered as a preparatory exercise to the final exam and, at the end of the course, the teacher will dedicate two lessons to their correction and discussion.

Graffi, Giorgio e Scalise, Sergio. 2024. "Le lingue e il linguaggio - Introduzione alla linguistica", quarta edizione. Bologna: Il Mulino.
Other materials will be distributed during classes.

The final test will be a written exam that will contains the following types of questions:
- Multiple-choice questions
- Short-answer questions (definitions)
- Open questions
The exam is composed of three parts and students will pass only with a minimum score of 6/10 right answers for each part.

written

Range 18-22: sufficient knowledge and comprehension with regard to the course program
Range 23-26: good knowledge and comprehension with regard to the course program
Range 27-30: very good or excellent knowledge and comprehension with regard to the course program
Honors will be assigned in case of very good or excellent knowledge and comprehension with regard to the course program, and excellent communication skills.

Taught class. Students' active participation is expected.