The module aims at developing the necessary competences for orienteering in the field of the scientific and philosophical premises of semiotics. The study of sign processes and systems has a double nature that enables it to understand language in the wider framework of semiosis and its underlying systems.

Aiming at such goal, I intend to offer my student the tools for:

-understanding the grounding outlines of Glossematics;

-problematize the reduction of language either to mere expression of thought or to a basic cognitive-communicative phenomenon;

-grasp the homology between economic production and linguistic production.

The philosophical traditions that will be taken into account by the module, namely the hermeneutic-phenomenological one (here represented by Levinas) and the Marxist one (here exemplified by Rossi-Landi), are the ones the most attentive to linguistic structuralism, viz. the intellectual movement that made the academic institutionalization of semiotics possible. Moreover, Rossi-Landi witnesses for the relevance of one of the founding father of semiotics thanks to Morris’s mediation: Peirce. The program is thus organized:

1) Introduction to the problems of semiology:

- the arbitrariness of sign

- the primacy of tongues in the context of semiotic systems

2) Semiotic stratification:

- Glossematic theory of functions

- stratification as architecture of semiotics

- the semiotic squares and the langue/parole dichotomy according to Hjelmslev

3) Levinas between saying and said:

- the saying-said distinction

- reading and commentary of the paper on language and proximity

- the primacy of ethics and the philosophical bases of Glossematics

4) Rossi-Landi between linguistics and economics:

- Rossi-Landi’s idea of semiotics

- reading and commentary of a chapter from Linguistica ed economia. 

None.

Knowledge and understanding

- knowledge of the main aspects of Glossematics and of the philosophies of language elaborated by Levinas and Rossi-Landi;

- ability to grasp similarities and differences between the linguistic bases of semiotics and philosophical ones.   

Knowledge and understanding skills applied

- the student will manage to apply some aspects of semiotic analysis to literature and philosophy;

-  the student will manage to comment on some of the key-texts of the philosophy of language.    

Autonomy of judgment

- the student will be able to critically assess semiotics.

Communication skills

- the student will be provided with some elements to reflect on communication processes.     

Ability to learn

- once the module will be over, the student will have gained acquaintance with the main notions of semiotics and hermeneutically-phenomenologically-inspired philosophy of language in order to autonomously deepen his knowledge of the field;

- the student will be inclined to consider the multiple perspectives required by the study of language.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

During some of the module hours, the following activities will be held on-line.

Presentation of the Centro Internazionale di Scienze Semiotiche "Umberto Eco" in Urbino 

4th March, 4 pm

with Tiziana Migliore (Università degli Studi di Urbino Carlo Bo)

Marcello Ghilardi (Università degli Studi di Padova),  An eastward window. Clues on language and writing from the Sino-Japanese tradition

4th March, 5 pm (just after the presentation of the semiotic Centre at 4 pm)

Study afternoon on E. Coseriu's linguistic thought organised with the semiotic Centre

8th April, 4-7 pm

Gianfranco Marrone (Università degli Studi di Palermo, Direttore del Centro Internazionale di Scienze Semiotiche "Umberto Eco")

Inaugural greetings 

Rossana De Angelis (Université Paris-Est Créteil) System, norm, word from Hjelmslev to Coseriu

Tiziana Migliore (Università degli Studi di Urbino Carlo Bo) Coseriu. System, norm, word in pandemic age

Cristina Zorzella Cappi (Università degli Studi di Brescia) Coseriu and the philosophy of language 

Valerio Marconi (Università degli Studi di Urbino Carlo Bo) The talking being and its language. Hints of philosophical anthropology in Coseriu

Teaching

Lectures with final discussion

Attendance

Students who intend to be examined as attending students must attend reguraly, otherwise they should look at the non attending section for information.

Course books

A) Exam books:

1) Louis Hjelmslev, La stratificazione del linguaggio, introduzione, traduzione e commento di Cosimo Caputo, Pensa MultiMedia, Lecce-Brescia, 2018, pp. 63-128;

2) Emmanuel Levinas, Filosofia del linguaggio, a cura di Julia Ponzio, Pensa MultiMedia, Lecce-Brescia, 2020, pp. 9-25, 185-220;

3) Ferruccio Rossi-Landi, Linguistica ed economia, a cura di Cristina Zorzella Cappi, Mimesis, Milano-Udine, 2016, pp. 13-22, 121-133.

B) Further readings:

1) Cosimo Caputo, Basi linguistiche della semiotica. Teoria e storia, Mimesis, Milano-Udine, 2021, pp. 9-88;

2) Valerio Marconi, Tra filosofia, semiotica e strutturalismo. In dialogo con Aristotele, Hjelmslev e Peirce, ZeL, Treviso, 2020, pp. 145-199, 214-223.

Assessment

Learning assessment consists of an oral exam on singular passages from the texts by Hjelmslev, Levinas, and Rossi-Landi to be read and commented by the candidate. There is the possibility of sending a short paper by the date of the chosen assessment in order to have a sensibly shorter oral examination (further information is available on Moodle). The paper is meant to make use of the further readings listed in section B of the course books. The student must show a grasp of the main theoretical problems underlying the singular passages and contextualization skills concerning the comparison between linguistic bases and philosophical bases of semiotics.

Specific attention will be payed to proper use of technical language.

Critical approach to studied theories is highly valued. Personal insights and comparative skills are positively valued.

Assessment criteria:

- Excellence is described in terms of clear exposition and proper language, skilful linkage among different theories, good critical and deepening skills;

- Goodness is described in terms of clear exposition (even if mnemonic), good linkage among different theories, some critical skills and proper language;

- Sufficiency is described in terms of minimal knowledge, generic linkage among theories, barely proper language;

- Insufficiency is described in terms of lack of minimal knowledge, evident failure in attaining learning objectives, lack of use of technical language.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Teaching

Non-attending students can arrange meetings with the teacher to ask for explanations about the contents of exam books.

Attendance

Attendace is substituted by individual and autonomous study.

Course books

The same as attending student’s ones, but the study of the further readings (section B of the course books) becomes a necessity even in the case in which the student is not going to submit a paper.

Assessment

Learning assessment consists of an oral exam on singular passages from the texts by Hjelmslev, Levinas, and Rossi-Landi to be read and commented by the candidate. There is the possibility of sending a short paper by the date of the chosen assessment in order to have a sensibly shorter oral examination (further information is available on Moodle). The paper is meant to make use of the further reading listed in section B of the course books. The student must show a grasp of the main theoretical problems underlying the singular passages and contextualization skills concerning the comparison between linguistic bases and philosophical bases of semiotics.

Specific attention will be payed to proper use of technical language.

Critical approach to studied theories is highly valued. Personal insights and comparative skills are positively valued.

Assessment criteria:

- Excellence is described in terms of clear exposition and proper language, skilful linkage among different theories, good critical and deepening skills;

- Goodness is described in terms of clear exposition (even if mnemonic), good linkage among different theories, some critical skills and proper language;

- Sufficiency is described in terms of minimal knowledge, generic linkage among theories, barely proper language;

- Insufficiency is described in terms of lack of minimal knowledge, evident failure in attaining learning objectives, lack of use of technical language.

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Hjelmslev's original article text can be downloaded here:

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/00437956.1954.11659521 

Multiple copies of my book are availabe in the University libraries.

The volume containing Levinas's original text is available at the following location:

En découvrant l'existence avec Husserl et Heidegger, Vrin 1967

Biblioteca della Fondazione Carlo e Marise Bo Via Valerio, 9 – 61029 Urbino (PU)

https://fondazionebo.uniurb.it/biblioteca/orari-e-contatti/

Documento disponibile

Inventario BO 62727

Collocazione SU 02.09 LEVIe013