Università Roma Tre

The main objective of this course is to introduce students into the study of the theory and methods of General Linguistics – a subject having a crucial importance in the relevant “Corso di Laurea Triennale”, with particular focus on syntax. To this purpose, the basic notions of formal linguistics are illustrated – though at an elementary level, integrating theory with the discussion of examples and class exercises.
In particular, this B Part will deal with the following topics:
- Linguistic universals. Principles and Parameters.
- Categories and Functions; the notion of “word”.
- Syntactic analysis: constituency tests, phrase structure, phrasal heads, the head-complement parameter.
- Interfaces: interaction between syntax and the other levels of the grammar (lexicon, semantics, morphology and pragmatics)
- Verb valency. Arguments vs. adjuncts; argument roles.
- Sentential structure; clausal types; null and expletive subject.
- Basic notions of pragmatics, Speech acts; Information structure.
- Major language families, genealogic classification of languages and their origin.
- Typological classification; morphologic and syntactic typology. Comparative analysis. Ergativity.

Frascarelli, M., F. Ramaglia and B. Corpina (2012) Elementi di Sintassi. Caissa Italia - Rome/Cesena.
Chapters: 1-8 (parts indicated in the index with grey background).