UCL - German linguistics: Syntactic and semantic aspects

[GERM2713]

[30h] 5 credits

This two-yearly course is taught in 2011-2012, 2013-2014,...

Teacher(s): Joachim Sabel

Language: D

Level: Second

Aims
Main themes
Content and teaching methods
Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Aims

At the end of the course, the students should :
have developed a knowledge of specific syntactic and semantic phenomena in German,
have developed a knowledge in theoretical and applied linguistics,
be able to present competently one of the topics of this course.

Main themes

Study of German linguistics, in particular syntactical and semantic issues.

Content and teaching methods

At the beginning of the course we will introduce the basic concepts of syntactic analysis. Then, we will describe central problems of German syntax and semantics and we will try to give syntactic explanations for these phenomena. The phenomena that will be discussed are:
the Passive Construction.
Empty Subjects and Expletives.
the Double Object Construction.
the Distribution of Reflexives, Reciprocals, and Pronouns.
Wh-questions.
Coordination Phenomena.
Causative and other Infinitival Constructions.
Discontinuous Constituents.
Extraposition.
Extraction-Islands.
the Free Word Order Phenomenon and the Analysis of (In-)Definiteness and Theme/Rheme.

Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Pré-requis. Introduction to German linguistics (syntax, phonetics/phonology
and morphology).

Evaluation. Presentation of one of the topics of the course and a written exam.

Support. 1. Syllabus, 2. scientific articles/chapters in books, 3. a written guideline for " how to present a linguistic work ", 4. the students get aid with the workout of their presentations (content, structuring, ).