Comparative Linguistics
Objectives
1) To acquire an understanding of differences and similarities between different languages.
2) To become familiar with the theoretical and methodological tools necessary for the analysis of phenomena of different languages from a comparative perspective.
3) To be able to comparatively describe aspects of the grammars of the languages used in the translation practice at different levels: lexical, phonological, morphological, syntactic and semantic.
4) To develop autonomous research skills in order to apply concepts and instruments necessary for the description and analysis of the languages in the resolution of translation problems.
General characterization
Code
722131041
Credits
10.0
Responsible teacher
Helena Virgínia Topa Valentim
Hours
Weekly - Available soon
Total - 280
Teaching language
Portuguese
Prerequisites
Bachelor Degree
Bibliography
1) Aarts, B. & A. McMahon (orgs.) (2008). The Handbook of English Linguistics. Wiley-Blackwell.
2) Beekes, R. (2011). Comparative Indo-European Linguistics: An Introduction. Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins.
3) Bosque, I. & V. Demonte (orgs.) (1999). Gramática Descriptiva de la Lengua Española. Madrid: Espasa.
4) Cinque, G. & R.S. Kayne (orgs.) (2008). The Oxford Handbook of Comparative Syntax. OUP.
5) Harbert, W. (2006). The Germanic Languages. CUP.
6) Haspelmath, M., M.S. Dryer, D. Gil & B. Comrie (orgs.) (2005). The World Atlas of Language Structures. OUP.
7) Huddleston, R. & G. Pullum (2002). The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language. CUP.
8) Mateus, M.H. et al (2003). Gramática da Língua Portuguesa. Lisboa: Caminho.
9) Raposo, E. et al (orgs.) (2013). Gramática do Português. Lisboa: Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian.
10) Salkoff, M. (1999). A French-English Grammar: A Contrastive Grammar on Translational Principles. Amsterdam/Philadelphia: John Benjamins.
Teaching method
The postgraduate seminars are both theoretical and practical with a strong interactive component on the part of the students. The practical component includes the description and analysis of linguistic data, problem solving and the presentation and discussion of previously selected texts as well as students´ assignments.
Evaluation method
Continuous Evaluation - Written exam(40%), Written research work and posterior oral presentation of the same(60%)
Subject matter
1. Introdutory Concepts: Grammar and Levels of Linguistic Analysis.
2. Theoretical Approaches in Comparative Linguistics.
3. The Lexicon: Morphological and Non-morphological Processes of Word Formation.
4. The Noun Phrase and the Inflectional Categories of Gender, Number, and Case. Possessive constructions.
5. Structures of Verbal Complementation.
6. Interrogative and Relative Constructions.
7. Variation in Word Order.
8. Tense and Aspect: Uses and Semantic Values of Verb Forms.
9. Linguistic Aspects of a Pragmatic nature.