Ateneo - UPO

This course (60 hours, 12 ECTS) combines the study of Italian lexicography and the study of pragmatics from a historical perspective. More precisely, it deals with the history of Italian lexicography and to the lexicographic projects that the Accademia della Crusca is carrying on, and, moreover, with the construction of dialogic interaction from a diachronic perspective and with pragmatic phenomena and changes from a diachronic point of view.

Textbooks for the integrated course are as follows:

Italian Linguistics II Level
1. V. DELLA VALLE, Dizionari italiani: storia, tipi, struttura, Roma, Carocci, 2024. 2. C. MARAZZINI, L’ordine delle parole. Storia di vocabolari italiani, Bologna, il Mulino, 2009 (capp. III-VIII). 3. M. APRILE, Dalle parole ai dizionari, III ed., Bologna, il Mulino, 2015 (capp. IV-VII e IX-XI). 4. Ppt, texts, electronic dictionaries archived in DIR. Students who cannot attend the course for various reasons must also add to the above exam bibliography: 5. R. MERIDA, Il salvagente dell’italiano. Dizionari, grammatiche, servizi di consulenza ecc., Firenze, Cesati, 2023.

Advanced Historical Linguistics
(1) Slides and all the other material uploaded on DIR.
(2) Chiara Fedriani e Maria Napoli, Pragmatica storica dell’italiano: ieri, oggi, domani. In Studi e Saggi Linguistici LXIII, 2, 2025 [available on DIR]
(3) Andrea Sansò, I segnali discorsivi, Carocci, Roma, 2020: only chapter 2 (Come nascono e si sviluppano i segnali discorsivi).
(4) For students who do attend the course: 2 papers to be chosen among those that will be made available on DIR. For students who do not attend the course: 3 papers to be chosen among those that will be made available on DIR.
(5) Chiara Fedriani and Maria Napoli. 2020. Se insegnare la legge di Grimm ti fa sentire un brontosauro. Un esperimento per una didattica partecipata. In: A. Sansò (ed.), Insegnare linguistica: basi epistemologiche, metodi, applicazioni, Atti del LIII Congresso della Società di Linguistica Italiana, Università dell’Insubria, 19-21 settembre 2019. Officina 21, Milano: pp. 131-146 (https://www.societadilinguisticaitaliana.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/009_Fedriani_Napoli_Atti_SLI_LIII_Insubria.pdf).
(6) Filippo Domaneschi, Introduzione alla Pragmatica, Carocci, Roma, 2014 [as an introductory reference manual].

The basic aim of this course is to bring students: (i) to acquire good knowledge on the history of the Italian Lexicography, in order to be able to use different types of dictionaries and lexicographic electronic tools and to use them when teaching the Italian language; to deepen knowledge of the theoretical and methodological tools to analyze language use in different historical stages from an interactional perspective, in order to understand the way in which languages change is pragmatically influenced.
A further, more advanced, aim is to develop students’ ability of applying theoretical and methodological principles to the analysis of electronic tools and linguistic data.
Finally, didactic methods for teaching Historical and General Linguistics will be dealt with (for the course of Advanced Historical Linguistics), taking the topics examined during the course as a starting point.
The 12 credits to be earned are allocated as follows for attending students:
2.4 credits of taught and interactive instruction;
9.6 credits of individual study.
For non-attending students, the 12 ECTS consist entirely of self-study activities.

Students who have not acquired 12 credits in History of the Italian language (L-FIL-LET/12) in their previous career are advised to study as well C. MARAZZINI, La lingua italiana. Storia, testi, strumenti, Bologna, il Mulino, 2015 (chapters 12-21).

Students should have basic knowledge of general linguistics and historical linguistics.
Students who have never taken an exam in historical linguistics are required to contact the teacher in advance regarding supplementary study material, consisting of an introductory textbook (or parts of it, for those who already have basic knowledge of general linguistics). Fulfilment of these prerequisites will be assessed as a preliminary part of the exam.

Lectures in the classroom, in the library, in the computer room, and “Web didactic” (DIR). Interactive teaching is also included during the courses through exercises, analysis, discussion and presentation of linguistic data and case studies.

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.
Italian Linguistics II level
The investigation of the possible didactic use of dictionaries and electronic tools will be part of the program of the lessons, obviously focused on the teaching of the Italian language and on its history.
Advanced Historical Linguistics
Since the course is conceived of as a seminar, attendance is strongly recommended.

The overall evaluation will take the final grades of the two individual exams into account and will be based on the assessment of the whole degree of insightfulness of knowledge, of the degree of autonomy in applying it and of the communicative skills, consistently with the mission and intended learning objectives.
Italian Linguistics II level
Oral exam on the books listed in the bibliography. The exam lasts 20 minutes. Students will be asked to answer four or five questions structured as follows in order to value the achievement of the above objectives: - Three or four questions on the history of the Italian lexicography and on the dictionaries listed in the program of the exam. Value 60% (= basic level). - One question on electronic dictionaries, on Internet tools for lexicographers, on new lexicographic projects of the Accademia della Crusca, on didactic strategies for teaching ancient and modern Italian trough dictionaries. Value 20% (= advanced level). - The oral presentation and the dialectical conversation with the teacher will be assessed. Value 20%.

Advanced Historical Linguistics
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 fundamental issues concerning historical pragmatics, with a focus on the different pragmatic phenomena analyzed; Sect. 2 = 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 put on DIR); Sect. 3 = didactic methodologies for teaching linguistics.
The final evaluation will be based on the following criteria: use of appropriate scientific terminology = 10%; answers to questions from Section 1 = 40%; answers to questions from Section 2 = 40%; answers to questions from Section 3 = 10%.
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 historical pragmatics;
• limited autonomy in making critical judgments on linguistic data and case studies concerning pragmatic change;
• 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 historical pragmatics;
• satisfactory autonomy in making critical judgments on linguistic data and case studies concerning pragmatic change;
• 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 historical pragmatics;
• good or excellent autonomy in making critical judgments on linguistic data and case studies concerning pragmatic change;
• 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.

Italian Linguistics II level
1. What is a dictionary? Which is the difference between the word “dictionary” and “vocabulary”? Different type of dictionaries for different aims. 2. Voice structure in monolingual vocabulary. 3. Electronic dictionaries, online dictionaries and paper dictionaries. 4. General dictionaries published in the XX century: VOLIT, GRADIT, De Mauro by Paravia editor and DIB, Zingarelli, DISC, Devoto-Oli, Garzanti, Treccani. 5. The Accademia della Crusca and the Italian lexicography in the XVII century. Continuity and innovation: Alberti di Villanova Illuminist lexicographer. 6. The XIX century. The Crusca’s model in the first half of the century and suggestions of correction to the Vocabolario. The “Crusca veronese” by Antioni Cesari. The “Proposta” by Vincenzo Monti. The Tramater. The fifth edition of the Vocabolario degli Accademici della Crusca. The Tommaseo-Bellini. The Giorgini-Broglio. The Rigutini-Fanfani. The Petrocchi. 7. Synonym dictionaries from the XIX century to the present days: how a dictionary can change its structure. 8. The XX century. The “Dizionario moderno” by Alfredo Panzini and other dictionaries of neologisms (from the XIX century to the present days). 9. Dictionaries by the Accademia d’Italia. The first Dizionario aereo italiano by F.T. Marinetti. 10. The DOP by Migliorini, Tagliavini e Fiorelli (pronunciation dictionary). 11. Historical dictionaries: GDLI and TLIO. 12. Etymological dictionaries: DEI, DELI, LEI, Dizionario storico-etimologico Treccani. 13. “Dizionari di famiglie di parole”: DIR and RIF. 14. Web resources for Italian Linguistics and Lexicographers. 15. Lexicographical projects carried on by the Accademia della Crusca. Methods for collecting backdated words.


Advanced Historical Linguistics
Part I, Introduction to pragmatics and historical pragmatics
Unit 1. Basic pragmatic notions: context, speech acts, the cooperative principle and conversational maxims.
Unit 2. From pragmatics to historical pragmatics: objects, methods, and challenges.

Part II, Data analysis

Unit 3. Analysis of case studies related to pragmatic phenomena from a historical perspective, such as speech acts and (im)politeness, deixis, discourse markers, and changes that may have affected them.
Unit 4. Pragmatic analysis of literary texts through the DIADIta corpus.
Unit 5. Gender mainstreaming: ‘feminine’ speech acts?
Unit 6. Didactic methods for teaching historical linguistics.

To achieve a basic level of knowledge and skills students are required:
(i) to show adequate knowledge on the history of the Italian Lexicography and adequate knowledge and understanding of the theoretical-methodological issues and main aspects related to the pragmatic analysis of languages from a historical perspective; (ii) demonstrate a basic ability to apply the knowledge acquired to the analysis of aspects related to lexicography, diachronic pragmatic interaction, and pragmatic change, as well as to the design of simple teaching activities; (iii) to demonstrate an initial level of autonomy in making critical judgments on linguistic data; (iv) to appropriately use specific scientific terminology, to frame clear discussions on the various topics of study and the linguistic data examined; (v) to develop an adequate capacity for the analysis of lexicographical aspects and pragmatic phenomena from a historical and diachronic perspective (in particular, drawing from Italian), at least with regard 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 Italian linguistics and historical pragmatics; (ii) to be able to apply knowledge and understanding by appropriately using the tools introduced in class (electronic dictionaries, online databases) for educational purposes, and by grasping and interpreting the complex correlation between various pragmatic phenomena, structural linguistic elements, and contextual constraints;
(iii) to demonstrate full autonomy in expressing critical and well-articulated judgments on specific lexicographical aspects and pragmatic changes;
(iv) to express themselves exclusively through specific scientific terminology;
(v) to combine the theoretical learning of concepts and methodologies with direct data observation, displaying a high level of applied competence.