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 of crucial importance for a Course of Study on "Languages and Mediation", with a specific focus on syntax. To this purpose, the basic notions of formal linguistics are illustrated, though at an elementary level, integrating theory with practice, through examples and homework to be discussed during the classes.
In particular, this B Part deals 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, genealogical classification of languages and their origin.
- Typological classification; morphologic and syntactic typology. Comparative analysis. Ergativity.

Frascarelli, M., F. Ramaglia and B. Corpina (2012) "Elementi si sintassi". Caissa Italia - Rome/Cesena.
Including: Introduction, ch. 1-7, Appendix (parts indicated in the index with a white background)