Ateneo - UPO

Linguistic behaviour and social factors.

Students who attend the course:

(1) Slides and other material uploaded on DIR.
(2) Silvia Ballarè, Ilaria Fiorentini e Emanuele Miola (a cura di), 2024, Le varietà dell’italiano contemporaneo, Carocci, Roma,: only chapters 3 (L’italiano regionale), 6 (L’italiano dei giovani) and 7 (L’italiano dei nuovi media).
(3) For language and gender issues: (i) Edoardo Lombardi Vallauri, 2026, L'italiano in bilico. Quello che sì, quello che no, Il Mulino, Bologna: only chapter 5, Se la lingua italiana sia sessista; (ii) Anna Thornton, 2022, Genere e igiene verbale: l’uso di forme con ə in italiano. Annali del Dipartimento di Studi Letterari, Linguistici e Comparati. Sezione linguistica n.s. 11: 11-54 (paper made available on DIR).
(4) 1/2 papers to be chosen among those that will be made available on DIR.

For more details about Sociolinguistics, attending students can consult: Gaetano Berruto and Massimo Cerruti, 2019, Manuale di sociolinguistica, new edition, UTET/De Agostini, Novara.

Beside the bibliographical references mentioned above, students who do NOT attend the course will also study:
(5) Gaetano Berruto and Massimo Cerruti, 2019, Manuale di sociolinguistica, new edition, UTET/De Agostini, Novara.
(6) Gaetano Berruto, Sociolinguistica dell'italiano contemporaneo, Carocci, Roma, 2012 (new edition): only chapters 1 (L’italiano come gamma di varietà) and 2 (Tendenze di ristandardizzazione).

Further reading suggested for consultation: Fabiana Fusco, 2024, Lingua e genere, Carocci, Roma.

The primary goal of this course is to lead students to know topics, aims and methodologies of Sociolinguistics, in order to understand how to identify and analyze (1.1) several instances of the relationship between language and society and, in particular, (1.2) the notion of variation as influenced by the so called external factors, such as social and cultural factors, age and gender differences.
A further, more advanced, aim is to develop students’ ability of applying theoretical and methodological principles to the examination of specific case studies, with particular regard to the sociolinguistic of the Italian language.

The 6 credits to be earned are allocated as follows for attending students:
1.5 credits of direct and interactive teaching;
4.5 credits of independent study.

Students should have basic knowledge of general linguistics.
Students who have never taken an exam in general or historical linguistics must contact the teacher in advance regarding supplementary study material, consisting of an introductory textbook. Fulfilment of these prerequisites will be assessed as a preliminary part of the exam.

Lectures and “Web didactic” (DIR). Interactive teaching is also included during the course. Students will be required to exam, discuss and present linguistic data and case studies, in order to develop the ability to analyze language from a sociolinguistic perspective and to develop communicative skills.

Since the course is conceived of as a seminar, attendance is highly recommended.
Students with physical disabilities, learning disabilities or special education needs can request specific services and tools via the Staff Sviluppo e Coordinamento Carriere e Servizi alle Studentesse e agli Studenti, consulting the University webpage: https://www.uniupo.it/en/services/services-students-physical-or-learning-disabilities
Students with disabilities, learning disabilities or special education needs, once they have contacted the University Staff, can refer to the tutor in charge of the course to define the examination modalities, concerning academic aspects.

The final exam consists of an oral examination lasting approximately 30 minutes, aimed at verifying the acquisition of knowledge and understanding of the relevant topics (those included in the objectives and the expected learning outcomes) and the use of appropriate scientific terminology through a 3-section structure: Sect. 1 = questions on theoretical and methodological aspects related to sociolinguistics; Sect. 2 = questions on language variation as influenced by external factors; Sect. 3 = analysis and discussion of data on which to test both the theoretical and methodological knowledge acquired and the ability of applying it empirically (mainly on the basis of the material examined during the course and/or the material put on DIR).
The final evaluation will be based on the following criteria: use of appropriate scientific terminology = 10%; answers to questions from Section 1 = 20%; answers to questions from Section 2 = 35%; answers to questions from Section 3 = 35%.

Grades are assigned according to the following criteria:

A. Marks in the 18–22 range will be awarded for:
• sufficient knowledge and understanding of theoretical and methodological principles of sociolinguistics, and their application to the analysis of the relationship between language and society;
• limited autonomy in making critical judgments on linguistic data and case studies concerning sociolinguistic variation;
• sufficient communication skills, particularly regarding the use of specific scientific terminology.
B. Marks in the 23–26 range will be awarded for:
• satisfactory knowledge and understanding of theoretical and methodological principles of sociolinguistics, and their application to the analysis of the relationship between language and society;
• satisfactory autonomy in making critical judgments on linguistic data and case studies concerning sociolinguistic variation;
• satisfactory communication skills, particularly regarding the use of specific scientific terminology;
C. Marks in the 27–30 range will be awarded for:
• good or excellent knowledge and understanding of theoretical and methodological principles of sociolinguistics, and their application to the analysis of the relationship between language and society;
• good or excellent autonomy in making critical judgments on linguistic data and case studies concerning sociolinguistic variation;
• excellent communication skills, fully appropriate and consistent with specific scientific terminology.
D. Honours (cum laude) will be awarded based on an assessment of accuracy, depth, and the ability to elaborate on the responses.

I Part: theoretical and methodological sociolinguistic issues
1. Introduction to the lessons.
2. Basic sociolinguistic notions and preliminary issues on the relationship between language and society.
3. Variation and sociolinguistic variables.
4. Data in Sociolinguistics.

Part II: Variation in the Italian language
5. The “architecture” of contemporary Italian.
6. Analysis and discussion of case studies.
7. (Gender mainstreaming) Language, gender and society.

In order to achieve a basic level of knowledge and skills students are required to show what follows:

Knowledge and understanding:
To know and understand the preliminary issues and main aspects related to the analysis of the relationship between language and society (especially as regards the Italian sociolinguistic situation).

Ability to apply knowledge and understanding:
To be able, at a basic level, (i) to apply the learned notions to the analysis of language variation as influenced by external factors;
(ii) to examine linguistic data and case studies showing correlation between language and social or cultural factors.

Autonomy of judgment:
To demonstrate an initial level of autonomy in making critical judgments on sociolinguistic data.

Communicative skills:
To appropriately use specific scientific terminology, to frame clear discussions on the various topics of study and the linguistic data examined.

Learning ability:
To develop sufficient theoretical and methodological knowledge in the field of sociolinguistics, while simultaneously developing skills in the empirical data analysis of variation as conditioned by external factors, at least with respect to selected illustrative case studies.

In order to achieve a more advanced level, students are required to show what follows: (i) to have acquired a solid knowledge of the field of analysis of the relationship between language and society; (ii) be able to apply knowledge and understanding in order to thoroughly analyze the correlation between external factors and language use in society; (iii) to demonstrate full autonomy in expressing critical and well-articulated judgments on specific data and case studies; (iv) to communicate exclusively using specific scientific terminology; (v) to combine the theoretical learning of concepts and methodologies with direct observation of empirical data, showing a high level of applied competence.