2019/2020

2019/2020

DM270

L-LIN/01 (GLOTTOLOGY AND LINGUISTICS)

DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

COMMUNICATION, INNOVATION, MULTIMEDIA

PERCORSO COMUNE

1°

1st semester (30/09/2019 - 16/12/2019)

9

54 lesson hours

Italian

WRITTEN TEST

JEZEK ELISABETTA (titolare) - 6 ECTS
CAPONETTO LAURA - 3 ECTS

Basic notions of grammar acquired in previous education that will be reviewed at the beginning of the course.

Students will gain knowledge of the main topics of the semantics and pragmatics of verbal communication. They will acquire skills to use linguistic tools to critically analyse the language of media.

The first module of the course introduces the students to the basic notions needed to approach the study of language from the perspective of the meaning conveyed through it, and will provide them with the theoretical tools to conduct linguistic semantic analysis. The focus will be on the following aspects: lexical information, the contextual variability of word meaning, ambiguity, polysemy and vagueness: word types and word classes; metaphor and metonymy; neologisms and linguistic creativity.

The course’s second module provides an introduction to pragmatics, i.e. the study of language use in context. We will investigate the distinction between explicit and implicit communication; the complex relations between language and pragmatic context; the basic properties of presuppositions; and the main politeness strategies. Finally, we will turn to the contemporary debate by looking at the dynamics of “discursive injustice” - a peculiar form of injustice occurring when a speaker’s capacity to communicate is unfairly hindered due to negative prejudicial stereotypes attached to their social identity (e.g. their gender, race, sexual orientation, and so on).

In the third module of the course (lab), dedicated to the language of media, several formats of TV communication are introduced and discussed (political interview, advertising, talent show).

Face-to-face-interactive lectures.
Slides.
Lab.

References and readings are:

Bianchi Claudia, 2003, Pragmatica del Linguaggio, Roma-Bari: Laterza (capp. I, II (sezioni 1,2 e 4), III).
Jezek Elisabetta 2011 (2a ed.). Lessico. Classi di parole, strutture, combinazioni. Bologna: Il Mulino (capp. I, II, III (paragrafi 1 e 2), V).
Kendon, Adam 1997. “Gesture”. Annual Review of Anthropology, 26 (pp. 109-128). Disponibile nel sito del corso sulla piattaforma KIRO.

Optional readings:

Austin, John, “Come agire con le parole”, in Gli atti linguistici, a cura di M. Sbisà, Feltrinelli, Milano 1978, pp. 61-80.
Grice, Paul, “Logica e conversazione”, in Id., Logica e conversazione. Saggi su intenzione, significato e comunicazione, tr. it. di G. Moro, Bologna, Il Mulino 1993, pp. 55-76.

The final assignment consists in a written examination with questions about the notions introduced during the course and a written assignment reporting the analysis of a chosen fragment of TV communication using the guidelines provided in class.

The exam consists of three modules:

Module 1: Bibliography and slides Lexicon and Semantics (3 questions out of 5 available)

Module 2: Bibliography and slides Pragmatics (3 questions out of 5 available)

Module 3: Written assignment

Questions from Module 1 and 2 require short and precise answers. Conciseness will contribute to a positive evaluation. The examples provided must be original and cannot match the examples present in textbooks or in the material presented in class.

Material for the course is available on the KIRO platform (access with personal username and password).