Advanced English Linguistics
A.Y. 2025/2026
Learning objectives
This course is devoted to studying discourse. It goes beyond the study of traditional aspects of linguistics (phonetics, morphology, lexis, syntax) to embrace large collections of texts (corpora). It is addressed to graduate students, who have some grounding in the basic concepts of linguistics. The course will introduce students to the methodology of corpus linguistics with which different types of discourse in the domain of the arts will be analysed in order to explore the implicit and intricate social and cultural dimensions.
Expected learning outcomes
The knowledge and understanding of corpus linguistics and discourse analysis. Applying knowledge and understanding to access a variety of machine readable corpora (Wordbanks Online, British National Corpus, SketchEngine) and to carry out a linguistic analysis on them via the wordlist, keyword list, collocations, and concordances techniques; and to be able to critique different types of discourse from a linguistic point of view in order to reveal hidden and taken-for-granted social and cultural trends.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
The course ("English language in Use: an introduction to language and society and language and mind") is made up of two parts:
6/9 CFU (credits) - Part A (6 CFU)/Part A + Part B (9 CFU)
Part A (40 hours, 6 credits): An Introduction to English Sociolinguistics: focus on accents, dialects and language attitude research.
Part B: (20 ore, 3 crediti): An Introduction to Second Language Acquisition for English Language Teaching.
The 6-credit exam will focus on Part A; students sitting the 9-credit exam will additionally be tested on Part B.
The syllabus is valid until February 2027
6/9 CFU (credits) - Part A (6 CFU)/Part A + Part B (9 CFU)
Part A (40 hours, 6 credits): An Introduction to English Sociolinguistics: focus on accents, dialects and language attitude research.
Part B: (20 ore, 3 crediti): An Introduction to Second Language Acquisition for English Language Teaching.
The 6-credit exam will focus on Part A; students sitting the 9-credit exam will additionally be tested on Part B.
The syllabus is valid until February 2027
Prerequisites for admission
This course is aimed at students enroled in the degree course Lingue e letterature per la formazione, la critica e la traduzione.
The course is held entirely in English.
The course is held entirely in English.
Teaching methods
The course is is mainly delivered as lectures, which also include practical activities of language analysis.
Teaching Resources
Reading list:
PART A:
Pinnavaia, L. (2023), "Introducing Sociolinguistics: A Glance at the English-speaking Social and Cultural Worlds", Milano, Carocci.
Hughes, Arthur et al. (2012), "English Accents and Dialects", Fifth edition, London, Routledge.
Garrett, P. (2012), "Attitudes to Language", Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.
PART B:
Nava, A. and L. Pedrazzini (2018). "SLA in Action. Principles from Practice", London, Bloomsbury.
VanPatten, Bill et al. (2025). "Theories in Second Language Acquisition. An Introduction", Fourth edition, London, Routledge.
Notice for non-attending students
The syllabus is the same for attending and non-attending students. Non-attending students are kindly requested to e-mail prof. Nava.
PART A:
Pinnavaia, L. (2023), "Introducing Sociolinguistics: A Glance at the English-speaking Social and Cultural Worlds", Milano, Carocci.
Hughes, Arthur et al. (2012), "English Accents and Dialects", Fifth edition, London, Routledge.
Garrett, P. (2012), "Attitudes to Language", Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.
PART B:
Nava, A. and L. Pedrazzini (2018). "SLA in Action. Principles from Practice", London, Bloomsbury.
VanPatten, Bill et al. (2025). "Theories in Second Language Acquisition. An Introduction", Fourth edition, London, Routledge.
Notice for non-attending students
The syllabus is the same for attending and non-attending students. Non-attending students are kindly requested to e-mail prof. Nava.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The exam consists of a written test.
The test will focus on key concepts and notions introduced during the course. Both the theoretical approach and the practical exemplification (case studies) will be assessed. Students will be evaluated on their knowledge of the topics dealt with in the course and their argumentation skills.
Students who attend the course regulary will have the option to take an end-of term written test.
Oral exam assessment criteria: 1. appropriate presentation and discussion of topics, notions, and concepts; 2. discourse organisation; 3. lexical richness and accuracy; 4. lexical propriety; 5. lexical variety; 6. detailed text analysis (especially related to spelling variants, phonological system, and morpho-syntax of the varieties examined and discussed).
The test will focus on key concepts and notions introduced during the course. Both the theoretical approach and the practical exemplification (case studies) will be assessed. Students will be evaluated on their knowledge of the topics dealt with in the course and their argumentation skills.
Students who attend the course regulary will have the option to take an end-of term written test.
Oral exam assessment criteria: 1. appropriate presentation and discussion of topics, notions, and concepts; 2. discourse organisation; 3. lexical richness and accuracy; 4. lexical propriety; 5. lexical variety; 6. detailed text analysis (especially related to spelling variants, phonological system, and morpho-syntax of the varieties examined and discussed).
Modules or teaching units
Part A and B
L-LIN/12 - LANGUAGE AND TRANSLATION - ENGLISH - University credits: 6
Lessons: 40 hours
Part C
L-LIN/12 - LANGUAGE AND TRANSLATION - ENGLISH - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Professor(s)