SEMIOTICS

Single discipline educational activity

Course Sheet

Academic Year of enrolment:

2020/2021

Type of Course:

Basic

Optional/Mandatory:

Optional

Degree:

Bachelor's Degree Programme in LINGUISTIC AND CULTURAL MEDIATION

Disciplinary Sector:

Philosophy and Theory of Language

Language:

Italian

Credits:

Programme Year:

Professor and Collaborators:

CAPUTO Stefano

Hours of classroom activity:

Prerequisites:

None

AF code:

3000812

Assessment Methods

Verification of learning:

Oral exams

Teaching period

Second semester

Objectives

Mastery of the basics of Semiotics, as the general theory of signs.
Knowledge of the peculiar traits of linguistic signs and of the main theoretical options concerning the nature of linguistic meaning with a special focus on words meaning.
Ability to put under scrutiny and evaluate different theoretical options and to assess arguments that support them.

Contents

Course title: The Importance of Being a Sign
The course is divided into the following three parts:
A - The importance of signs and communication; the nature of signs and the various attempts to classify signs.
B - The peculiar traits of linguistic signs; what is a language; different levels of linguistic analysis. Semantics as the theory of meaning. The philosophy of language and the dominant paradigm in Semantics.
C - Words meaning: the main theoretical frameworks in Semiotics, Philosophy of language and Cognitive sciences.

Recommended Bibliography

1) Lectures notes available on the e-learning platform.
2) ) U. Volli: Manuale di semiotica, Laterza, ch. 1-3 (pp. 3-70).
3) S. Caputo, C. Barbero, Significato: Dalla filosofia analitica alle scienze cognitive, Carocci, Introduzione, ch. 1.1 (pp. 35-46), 1.3 (pp. 61-66), 1.5 (pp. 82-97), Introduzione (pp. 11-31), capp. 1.1 (pp. 35-46), 1.3 (pp. 61-66), 1.5 (pp. 82-97), 2.2 (pp. 169-178); 2.3 (pp.193-196), 2.4 (pp. 208-232), 3.1, 3.2.1 (pp. 235-245), 3.3 (pp. 239-261), 4.1 (pp. 269-272), 4.2.3 (pp. 278-282), 4.3 (pp. 282-286), 4.5.2-4.5.3 (pp. 296-306).
N.B: Oral exam will mostly concern the topics presented during the lectures, whose essentials are contained in the lectures notes (see point 1).
The books above (points 2, 3) are therefore mainly meant, for students attending the lectures, as a support to the study of the lectures notes.

Methods of Provision

Conventional

Teaching Methods

Lectures supported by ppt presentations; question time; problem solving; critical discussion and assessment of theories and arguments.

Contacts/More Information

Tutorship in English for Erasmus students.
If necessary, teaching material in English will be assigned to foreign students and exams can be taken in English.

SEMIOTICS

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SEMIOTICS