LINGUISTICS RESEARCH IN THE MIDDLE EAST

The course will provide learners with overviews and insights on several topics of general and typological linguistics and with methods of linguistic research both synchronic and diachronic in Eurasia.

Learners will acquire notions of general and typological linguistics, and of methodology of both synchronic and diachronic linguistic research in Eurasia. They will be able to apply this knowledge to the languages they have studied.

Knowledge of at least one Turkic or Semitic or Indo-iranian or Caucasian language (phonology, morphology, syntax)

The course will deal with 6 main topics: linguistic typology, linguistic families of Eurasia, writing systems of Eurasia, endangered languages, language politics and languages along the Silk Road.

Booij, G. 2007. The grammar of words: An introduction to morphology. Oxford.
Brown, K. & Ogilvie, S. (eds.) 2009. Concise Encyclopedia of Languages of the world. Oxford.
Daniels, P. & Bright, W. 1996. The world’s writing systems. New York & Oxford.
Comrie, B. (ed.) 1981. The Languages of the Soviet Union. Cambridge.
Comrie, B. 1989. Language universals and linguistic typology. Chicago.
Dixon, R.M.W. 1997. The rise and fall of languages. Cambridge.
Dixon, R.M.W.2016. Are some languages better than others? Oxford.
Giacalone-Ramat, A. & Ramat, P. (eds.) 1998. The Indo-European languages. London & New York.
Gippert, J. & Himmelmann, N. & Mosel, U. (eds.) 2006. Essentials of language documentation. Berlin & New York.
Comrie, B. (ed.) 2009. The World’s Major Languages. New York.
Fishman, J. A. & García, O. (eds.) 2010. Handbook of language and ethnic identity. Disciplinary and regional perspectives. Vol I. Oxford.
Haspelmath, M. 2002. Understanding morphology. London.
Heine, B. & Kuteva, T. 2002. World lexicon of grammaticalization. Cambridge.
Hetzron, R. (ed.) 1997. The Semitic languages. London & New York.
Hickey, R. (ed.) The Handbook of language contact. Oxford et al.
Johanson, L. & Csató, É. Á. (eds.) 1998. The Turkic languages. London & New York.
Johanson, L. 2002. Structural factors in Turkic language contacts. Richmond: Curzon.
Ladefoged, P. & Maddieson, I. 1996. The sounds of the world’s languages. Oxford & Malden.
Landau, J. M. & Kellner-Heinkele, B. 2001. Politics of language in the ex-Soviet Muslim States: Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan. Ann Arbor.
Moravcsik E. A. 2013. Introducing language typology. Cambridge.
Nocentini, A. 2004. L’Europa linguistica. Profilo storico e tipologico. Firenze.
Ragagnin, E. 2011. Dukhan, a Turkic variety of northern Mongolia. Description and analysis. Wiesbaden.
Spolsky, B. (ed.) 2012. The Cambridge Handbook of language policy. Cambridge.
Thomason, S. G. 2015. Endangered languages. Cambridge.
Windfuhr, G. (ed.) 2009. The Iranian languages. London & New York.

Examination of expected learning outcomes is done through a structured examination, consisting of a written paper, on a topic agreed with the lecturer, and an oral exam.

Frontal lesson; seminars. Students will also prepare an oral presentation(max. 15 min) and participate in the class discussion.

Italian

Linguistic materials and further readings will be provided by the lecturer during the course.

Distance learning students are kindly asked to contact the lecturer at the beginning of the II academic term to agree on an alternative program.

written and oral