CJJ45 Topics in semantics

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
1/1/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Marcin Wągiel, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Marcin Wągiel, Ph.D.
Department of Czech Language – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Bc. Silvie Hulewicz, DiS.
Supplier department: Department of Czech Language – Faculty of Arts
Prerequisites
The course is taught in English. The students should know the language well enough to be able to follow a talk and read a textbook as well as linguistic articles in English. The final exam is also in English. I am also presupposing the knowledge of basic grammar terminology. A prior course in semantics is an advantage, but is not required.
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 15 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/15, only registered: 0/15, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/15
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The aim of this course is to investigate several topics in nominal (morpho-)semantics that relate to quantification. First, we will discuss the mass-count distinction and the interpretation of grammatical number on nouns in different number systems. Next, we will introduce a cognitive and philosophical perspective on counting and explore various functions of numerals. Finally, we will discuss classifier constructions and complex numerical expressions other than cardinals from a cross-linguistic perspective.
Learning outcomes
At the end of the course, the student is able to:
- understand the relationship between the conceptualization of substances and objects
- describe various grammatical means used by natural languages to express plurality
- understand different functions of numerals and classifiers
- describe cross-linguistic generalizations concerning number and numeral systems
- understand compositional properties of complex numerical expressions
- formally capture core semantic notions related to the meaning of nouns, numerals and classifiers
Syllabus
  • 1. Introduction to nominal semantics
  • 2. The mass-count distinction
  • 3. Number systems in natural languages
  • 4. Counting in cognition and language
  • 5. Cardinal numerals
  • 6. Other functions of numerals
  • 7. Classifiers
  • 8. Complex numerical expressions
Literature
  • DOETJES, Jenny. Count/mass distinctions across languages. In Semantics-Typology, Diachrony and Processing. 2019. info
  • NOUWEN, Rick. Plurality. In The Cambridge handbook of formal semantics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2016, p. 267-284. info
  • AIKHENVALD, Alexandra Y. Classifiers: A typology of noun categorization devices. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000. info
  • Number. Edited by Greville G. Corbett. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2000, xx, 358 p. ISBN 0521649706. info
Teaching methods
The methods used include lecture, class discussion; reading assigned materials.
Assessment methods
There is a test at the end and one has to have at least 2/3 answers right to pass. The final test is in English just like the entire course.
Language of instruction
English
Further Comments
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2023, Spring 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2025, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2025/CJJ45