2009/2010

2009/2010

DM270

L-FIL-LET/03 (ITALIC, ILLIRIC AND CELTIC PHILOLOGY)

DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES

THEORETICAL AND APPLIED LINGUISTICS; LINGUISTICS AND MODERN LANGUAGES

IL LINGUAGGIO: VARIAZIONE DIACRONICA E SINCRONICA, ACQUISIZIONE, ASPETTI COMPUTAZIONALI

1°

1st semester (01/10/2009 - 13/01/2010)

6

30 lesson hours

Italian

ORAL TEST

ROMA ELISA (titolare) - 6 ECTS

Students are expected to have basic knowledge of general linguistics (phonology, morphology, syntax) and of comparative Indo-European linguistics. They are also expected to be able to read dedicated literature in English and Italian.

The course provides the basic knowledge for the study of ancient and modern Celtic languages. Some internal and external comparison between Celtic languages will be made in an historical vein through the reading and analysis of some brief texts in one or more ancient and medieval Celtic languages. Particular attention will be paid to the linguistic features of the Celtic languages, which make them unparallelled among the Indo-European languages (initial mutations and VSO word order).

Introduction to Ancient and Modern Celtic languages
In the first part of the course the genetic relationships between all attested Celtic languages, both ancient and modern, still spoken and extinct, will be dealt with, focusing on their attestations and historical phases. Particular attention will be payed to the relationship between Continental and Insular Celtic languages. A few Continental Celtic texts will be read.
In the second part of the course a basic description of the morphophonology and morphosyntax of Old Irish will be the focus (initial mutations, nominal and verb inflection, word order), so that in the last part of the course some Old Irish texts (Glosses, Proverbs, Homilies, Epics, Lyrics) will be read, analysed and translated. Part of the translation will be done as a pratical exercise during the lessons, using the Dictionary of the Irish Language online.

Lectures

*Lecture Notes: Le lingue celtiche
*Texts:
Stokes, Whitley/ Strachan, John, Thesaurus Palaeohibernicus. II vols., Cambridge 1901-03 [later Dublin, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies] (text portions will be chosen during the lessons).
K. Meyer, The Triads of Ireland, London, Hodges Figgis 1906 (online edition CELT 2008, text portions will be chosen during the lessons)
G. Murphy, Early Irish Lyrics. Oxford University Press 1956 [paperback reprint, Dublin, Four Courts Press 1998] (the lyrics will be chosen during the lessons).
C. O’Rahilly, Táin Bó Cúailnge from the Book of Leinster. Dublin, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies 1967 (text portions will be chosen during the lessons).

a) For students of Classical Studies:
*J. Eska/ D. Ellis Evans, “Continental Celtic”, in M. J. Ball / J. Fife (eds.), The Celtic Languages. London, Routledge 1993: 26-63.
*K. McCone, L''irlandese antico e la sua preistoria. Alessandria, Dell’Orso 2005 [it. translation of “An tSean-Ghaeilge agus a Réamhstair”, in K. McCone et alii (a c. di), Stair na Gaeilge, Maynooth 1994: 61-219] : Fonologia [pp. 27-77], La composizione verbale [pp. 240-258], Pronomi e marche relative [pp. 258-285].
b) For students of Modern Studies:
*Three chapters from the second, third or fourth part of M. J. Ball/ J. Fife (eds.), The Celtic Languages. London, Routledge 1993.

Students who cannot attent lessons should be able to translate some text portions on their own and are requested to contact the lecturer (also by e-mail).

Oral examination. Students should be able to discuss at least one descriptive-theoretical topic and to translate and analyse from a linguistic point of view some brief text portions.