Comparative Linguistics
Code
722131041
Academic unit
Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas
Department
Linguística
Credits
10
Teacher in charge
Ana Maria Lavadinho Madeira
Weekly hours
3 letivas + 1 tutorial
Teaching language
Portuguese
Objectives
1. To gain an understanding of differences and similarities among languages.
2. To become familiar with the theoretical and methodological tools necessary for the analysis of phenomena from different languages from a comparative perspective.
3. To be able to comparatively describe aspects of the grammars of the languages used in one´s translation practice at different levels: lexical, phonological, morphological, syntactic and semantic.
4. To develop autonomous research skills, making it possible to apply concepts and instruments pertaining to the description and analysis of language in the resolution of translation problems.
Prerequisites
Not applicable
Subject matter
1. Introdutory concepts: grammar and levels of linguistic analysis.
2. Theoretical approaches in comparative linguistics.
3. Phonetic and phonological properties.
4. Lexicon: morphological and non-morphological processes of word formation.
5. The noun phrase: inflectional categories (gender, number, case) and internal structure. Possessive constructions.
6. Inflectional morphology and word order.
7. Structures of verbal complementation.
8. Interrogative and relative constructions.
9. Word order and informational structure.
10. Tense and aspect: uses and semantic/discourse values of some verb forms.
Bibliography
Aarts, B. & A. McMahon (orgs.) (2008) The Handbook of English Linguistics. Wiley-Blackwell.
Beekes, R. (2011) Comparative Indo-European Linguistics: An Introduction. Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins.
Bosque, I. & V. Demonte (orgs.) (1999) Gramática Descriptiva de la Lengua Española. Madrid: Espasa.
Cinque, G. & R.S. Kayne (orgs.) (2008) The Oxford Handbook of Comparative Syntax. Oxford University Press.
Haegeman, L (org.) (1997) The New Comparative Syntax. London & New York: Longman.
Harbert, W. (2006) The Germanic Languages (Cambridge Language Surveys). Cambridge University Press.
Hualde, J. I., A. Olarrea & E. O´Rourke (orgs.) (2012) The Handbook of Hispanic Linguistics. Wiley-Blackwell.
Huddleston, R. & G. Pullum (2002) The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language. Cambridge University Press.
Mateus, M.H. et al (2003) Gramática da Língua Portuguesa. Lisboa: Caminho.
Raposo, E. et al (orgs.) (2013) Gramática do Português. Lisboa: Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian.
Teaching method
The seminars are theoretical (60%) and practical (40%), with a strong interactive component. The practical component includes the description and analysis of linguistic data, problem solving and the presentation and discussion of texts and of students´ assignments.
Evaluation method
The assessment will be based on the following elements:
(i) one written test (40%); and
(ii) a research paper (written paper and oral presentation) (60%).