PRINCIPLES OF LINGUISTICS - I

The course is part of the basic educational activities of the Bachelor’s degree programme in Humanities, common to both curricula (Antiquity; Science of the Literary Text and Communication), and of the related or supplementary educational activities of the degree programme in History for the curricula History – from European Hegemony to Globalisation and History – The Mediterranean World from Antiquity to the Middle Ages. It aims to equip students with foundational methodological tools in linguistics and philology. The course objectives are to foster critical reflection on language and to provide basic methodological tools for linguistic analysis and interlinguistic comparison. Particular attention is given to semiotic, phonological, morphological, and syntactic aspects.

1)Knowledge and understanding
Acquire basic linguistic terminology and understand texts that employ it.
Understand the properties of different linguistic components and their interaction.
2) Application of knowledge and understanding
Use linguistic terminology accurately in the application and communication of acquired knowledge.
Perform basic linguistic analysis of one’s native language and identify analogous phenomena in other languages within the student’s competence.
3) Critical thinking
Formulate and justify simple hypotheses while developing an awareness of alternative perspectives.
Demonstrate the ability to engage in critical reasoning.
4) Communication skills
Express linguistic concepts clearly using appropriate terminology.
Communicate information, ideas, problems, and solutions effectively.
Engage with instructors and peers.
5) Learning skills
Take effective notes during lectures
Critically consult reference texts and their bibliographies.

General cultural competencies corresponding to those expected of a secondary school diploma, as specified in the admission requirements for the Bachelor’s degree programmes in Humanities and History.
Foreign students must have a good command of Italian.

The course is designed as an introduction to reflection on language, providing students with foundational concepts in semiotics, phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics. It will also offer an overview of the history of linguistics.

Required text: G. Berruto, M. Cerruti, La linguistica. Un corso introduttivo, Torino, UTET, 2017 (chapters 1, 2, 3 and 4).

Learning is assessed through an oral examination consisting of three questions, through which students must demonstrate:
- knowledge of the topics covered in the course;
- the ability to present them using appropriate terminology in a formal manner;
- the capacity for independent reflection on linguistic phenomena.
For students enrolled in the Humanities Bachelor’s degree programme, the study plan requires the acquisition of 12 CFU. Accordingly, assessment consists of a single oral examination that also includes the content of Principles of Linguistics II (for details on assessment methods, see the corresponding syllabus).

oral

28–30 with distinction: Excellent command of the topics covered in lectures and the textbook; appropriate use of technical terminology; outstanding ability to engage in independent reflection on linguistic phenomena.

26–27: Good knowledge of the topics covered in lectures and the textbook; generally correct use of technical terminology; good ability to engage in independent reflection on linguistic phenomena.

24–25: Fair knowledge of the topics covered in lectures and the textbook; occasional inaccuracies in the use of technical terminology; reasonable ability to engage in independent reflection on linguistic phenomena.

22–23: Partially superficial and/or incomplete knowledge of the topics covered in lectures and the textbook; presentation not always clear and/or lacking in technical terminology; sufficient ability to engage in independent reflection on linguistic phenomena.

18–21: Incomplete but sufficient knowledge of the topics covered in lectures and the textbook; unclear presentation and/or deficiencies in technical terminology; weak but acceptable ability to engage in independent reflection on linguistic phenomena.

Lectures with active student-instructor interaction encouraged.