PROBLEMS OF GENERAL LINGUISTICS

Course objectives

In consistency with the educational purposes of the whole teaching course, aim of the teaching unit is to give students a basic knowledge and comprehension skills in the field of General Linguistics, with the help of advanced textbooks. Moreover, it will make the student able to apply the acquired knowledge in an expert and reflective way, making autonomous judgments, communicating ideas, problems and reflections in a clear and correct way, and developing the knowledge required to go further in the studies. In particular, students will acquire a knowledge of the main currents of modern linguistics and issues discussed, highlighting problematic aspects, allowing the acquisition of a reliable methodology for operational analysis.

Channel 1
ALESSANDRO DEL TOMBA Lecturers' profile

Program - Frequency - Exams

Course program
This course offers an introduction to the linguistic history of the Iranian languages, with particular emphasis on the reconstruction of Indo-Iranian and Proto-Iranian, and a monographic focus on Khotanese, an Eastern Middle Iranian language. The first part of the course provides an overview of the Ancient and Middle Iranian languages, with special attention to the Eastern varieties, and introduces the methods of historical linguistics applied to the reconstruction of Indo-Iranian. Particular attention will be devoted to the identification and discussion of the differential isoglosses of Proto-Iranian. The second part of the course is devoted to the historical grammar of Khotanese, focusing on its phonology and morphology. The course aims to equip students with both theoretical knowledge and practical skills for engaging with the study of Iranian languages and for critically analyzing linguistic data, with special reference to the Eastern group and Middle Iranian sources.
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of General and Historical Linguistics.
Books
(1) R. Schmitt, Die iranischen Sprachen in Geschichte und Gegenwart, Wiesbaden, Reichert, 2000, capitoli 0, 1, 2 3 (Italian translation distributed by the lecturer). (2) A. Del Tomba, An Introduction to the Historical Grammar of Khotanese (distributed by the lecturer). (3) Article. The course materials will be uploaded by the lecturer on Google Classroom.
Teaching mode
The teaching consists of 32-34 hours of classroom-taught lectures, followed by 8-10 hours of specific exercise – 42 hours overall. Due to health measures by academic authorities, this course may also include partial teaching (blended teaching).
Frequency
Attendance is highly recommended.
Exam mode
The exam is passed if the student shows to know the concepts learnt either attending the course or through his own study. He is also requested to express these concepts plainly.
Bibliography
Further bibliographical references are included in the above-mentioned lecture notes.
Lesson mode
The teaching consists of 32-34 hours of classroom-taught lectures, followed by 8-10 hours of specific exercise – 42 hours overall.
  • Lesson code1023222
  • Academic year2025/2026
  • CourseClassics
  • CurriculumSingle curriculum
  • Year3rd year
  • Semester2nd semester
  • SSDL-LIN/01
  • CFU6