AJ42012 Introduction to Functional Syntax

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2009
Extent and Intensity
0/0/0. 6 credit(s) (plus 2 credits for an exam). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
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: doc. Mgr. Tomáš Kačer, Ph.D.
Timetable
Fri 10:50–12:25 G21
Prerequisites
AJ40999 Qualifying Examination && 42001
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 only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
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. The seminars include exercises in text analysis. 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. 5. Mastering translation methods respecting typological differences between languages especially at the syntactic level.
Syllabus
  • Week 1 Approaches to the study of Syntax The position of functional syntax in linguistic theory Syntactic analysis of a sentence. Sentence types. Basic sentence elements. Text analysis Week 2 The theory of functional sentence perspective (FSP). FSP and translation. The distribution of communicative dynamism Text analysis. Week 3 Factors of FSP. The linear modification factor. The contextual factor. Text analysis. Week 4 The contextual factor: the ‘immediately relevant context’ The semantic factor. Text analysis. Week 5 Foundation and core of a message. FSP functions. Text analysis. Final assignment guidelines.
Literature
  • FIRBAS, Jan. Functional sentence perspective in written and spoken communication. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1992, xv, 239. ISBN 0521373085. 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
  • DUŠKOVÁ, Libuše. Mluvnice současné angličtiny na pozadí češtiny. 1. vyd. Praha: Academia, 1988, 673 s. 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, (2) a critical analysis of a translation text from the viewpoint of the FSP theory, and (3) an essay summarizing a paper on some aspect of the information structure theories in focus
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught once in two years.
Information on the extent and intensity of the course: 5x2.
Teacher's information
http://elf.phil.muni.cz/elf/course/view.php?id=2490
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2005, Spring 2011, Spring 2013, Spring 2015, Spring 2017, Spring 2019, Spring 2021.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2009, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2009/AJ42012