OVERVIEW

«Past and present of discourse markers»
Discourse markers are expressions that, though losing in part their original lexical meaning, have acquired in exchange procedural meanings concerning the discourse structure, the connection between utterances and the interlocutor's stance.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Discourse markers are expressions that, though losing in part their original lexical meaning, have acquired in exchange procedural meanings concerning the discourse structure, the connection between utterances and the interlocutor's stance. They are formally invariable or only little variable and characterized by syntactic, semantic and prosodic independence. The course, after an introduction to the basic concepts of semantics and pragmatics, addresses the formal and functional features of discourse markers as well as their origin and diachronic development. Specifically, the course is devoted to processes and phenomena such as semantic extension, reanalysis, formal adaptation or actualization, grammaticalization, pragmaticalization and lexicalization. The theoretical explication is regularly supplemented by the analysis of (possibly informal and/or non-literary) contemporary or historical texts of Italian and other major European languages that ensures the student's comprehension of the origin and functioning of discourse markers. At the end of the course, the students are aware of the importance and utility of the pragmatic perspective and are able to recognize the most important discourse markers in contemporary and historical texts. In addition, the students have an understanding of the fundamental processes of language change.

PREREQUISITES

The fundamental prerequisites are personal curiosity and interest in languages and human language in general. The knowledge of basic concepts of general linguistics, specifically of semantic and pragmatic aspects, is also required.

Teaching methods

The course takes place in the virtual room that is accessible via the link in AulaWeb (Chrome or Firefox are recommended).

The texts of the course are available on the website http://www.stefan-schneider.at. For the username and the password consult AulaWeb.

Without registration to the course in AulaWeb, students can neither access the virtual room nor take exams. This regards also non-attending students.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Syllabus for attending and non-attending students: basic concepts of semiotics and communication, semantics, pragmatics, discourse markers, language change.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Basic texts:
Bazzanella, Carla 1995. I segnali discorsivi. In Lorenzo Renzi, Giampaolo Salvi, Anna Cardinaletti (eds.). "Grande grammatica italiana di consultazione. Vol. 3. Tipi di frase, deissi, formazione delle parole". Bologna: Il Mulino, 225-257.
Bazzanella, Carla 2010. I segnali discorsivi. In Giampaolo Salvi, Lorenzo Renzi (eds.). "Grammatica dell'italiano antico". Bologna: Il Mulino, 1339-1357.
Additional references are provided during the course.

Exam Board

STEFAN SCHNEIDER (President)

CLAUDIA CAFFI

SIMONE TURCO (Substitute)

IRENE DE FELICE (Substitute)

Teaching methods

The course takes place in the virtual room that is accessible via the link in AulaWeb (Chrome or Firefox are recommended).

The texts of the course are available on the website http://www.stefan-schneider.at. For the username and the password consult AulaWeb.

Without registration to the course in AulaWeb, students can neither access the virtual room nor take exams. This regards also non-attending students.

LESSONS START

Wednesday, 3rd March 2021.

Schedule: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, 3:15 pm-4:45 pm

ORARI

L'orario di tutti gli insegnamenti è consultabile su EasyAcademy.

Vedi anche:

GENERAL LINGUISTICS

Exam description

The exam consists in a presentation, a term paper with 40000 characters (including spaces) and the discussion of the term paper (= oral exam).

Assessment methods

The oral presentation and the term paper evaluate the ability to analyze contemporary and historical texts and to classify and describe the discourse markers therein. The term paper and its results are discussed during the oral exam.

Exam schedule