AJ12102 Introduction to Functional Syntax

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2009
Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 2 credit(s) (plus 2 credits for an exam). Recommended Type of Completion: zk (examination). Other types of completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
doc. PhDr. Jana Chamonikolasová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Jeffrey Alan Vanderziel, B.A.
Department of English and American Studies – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Tomáš Hanzálek
Timetable
Tue 13:20–14:55 G32
Prerequisites
AJ09999 Qualifying Examination
The course is taught in English. It is designed for students who are able to communicate in fluent English about scientific topics. The prerequisites are knowledge of the basics of syntax (normative syntax) and semantics, and an ability of analytical reasoning.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 50 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/50, only registered: 0/50, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/50
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The course is taught in English. It denotes the position of functional syntax in linguistic theory. It analyzes the function of language units in the act of communication. The course presents the Brno theory of Functional Sentence Perspective and outlines other approaches to the analysis of the information structure of language. Main course objectives: 1. Understanding the difference between static and dynamic approaches to syntax and semantics. 2. Mastering the basics of the theory of the information structure, especially the Brno theory of functional sentence perspective. 3. Acquiring the capacity of functional analysis of discourse. 4. Understanding the dynamics of language as a communication system. Most seminars include exercises in text analysis. Final assessment is based on the results of a test in syntactic analysis focusing on the FSP interpretation, and the final course assignment, i.e. a summary of a paper presenting some aspect of the information structure theories in focus.
Syllabus
  • Week 1 Approaches to the study of Information Structure The position of functional syntax in linguistic theory Week 2 Syntactic analysis of a sentence Sentence typology Text analysis - Exercise Week 3 Basic sentence elements Text analysis - Exercise Week 4 The theory of functional sentence perspective The application of the FSP theory in translation Text analysis - Exercise Week 5 The distribution of communicative dynamism Week 6 Factors of FSP The linear modification factor Text analysis - Exercise Week 7 The contextual factor Text analysis - Exercise 4 Week 8 The semantic factor Text analysis - Exercise Week 9 Foundation and core of a message Text analysis - Exercise Week 10 FSP functions Text analysis - Exercise Week 11 The FSP of questions, negative sentences and commands Text analysis - Exercise Week 12 Course test Week 13 Test analysis Final assignment guidelines
Literature
  • FIRBAS, Jan. Functional Sentence Perspective in Written and Spoken Communications. Reprint. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995, 239 pp. ISBN 0-521-37308-5. info
  • SGALL, Petr, Eva HAJIČOVÁ and Jarmila PANEVOVÁ. The meaning of the sentence in its semantic and pragmatic aspects. 1. vyd. Prague: Academia, 1986, ix, 353 s. info
  • CHAFE, Wallace L. Discourse, consciousness, and time : the flow and displacement of conscious experience in speaking and writing. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1994, xiii, 327. ISBN 0226100545. info
  • QUIRK, Randolph. A comprehensive grammar of the English language. Edited by David Crystal. 1st pub. London: Longman, 1985, x, 1779. ISBN 9780582517349. info
  • Příruční mluvnice češtiny. Edited by Miroslav Grepl - Petr Karlík - Marek Nekula - Zdenka Rusínová. Vyd. 2., opr. Praha: Lidové noviny, 1996, 799 s. ISBN 8071061344. info
Teaching methods
The course makes use of the following teaching and learning methods: lecture, interactive in-class exercise (syntactic analysis of a written text), out-of class exercise (comparative text analysis), homework (reading study materials).
Assessment methods
Final assessment is based on the results of (1) a written exam in syntactic analysis focusing on the FSP interpretation of a text, and (2) the final course assignment, i.e. an essay summarizing a paper on some aspect of the information structure theories in focus.
Language of instruction
English
Further Comments
The course is taught annually.
Teacher's information
http://elf.phil.muni.cz/elf/course/view.php?id=2489
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2003, Autumn 2004, Autumn 2005, Autumn 2006, Spring 2008, Autumn 2008, Spring 2010, Spring 2011, Autumn 2011, Spring 2013, Spring 2014, Spring 2016, Spring 2017, Spring 2018, Spring 2019, Spring 2020, Spring 2021.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2009, recent)
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