Lingua e traduzione

Lingua Inglese I
Introduction to English morphology,
vocabulary and syntax: English words in use
and in combination
Elisa Ghia
elisa.ghia@unipv.it

Outline of the course

1. Introduction: The structure of English and
levels of language (the rank scale)
2. Morphology: The form of English words:
Inflection, derivation and compounding;
Processes of word formation
3. Vocabulary: English words; vocabulary across
different English varieties; prototypicality;
semantic relations between words
4. Syntax: phrases, clauses, sentences
5. Elements of spoken English

Readings
Katamba, F.., 2009, Chapter 5 Morphology: Word
Structure, in J. Culpeper, F. Katamba, P. Kerswill, R. Wodak,
T. McEnery, English Language. Description, Variation and
Context, Palgrave MacMillan, Basingstoke: pp. 77-86; 95-97;
101-110).
Leech, G., 2009, Chapter 6 Grammar: Words (and
Phrases) and Chapter 7 Grammar: Phrases (and Clauses),
in J. Culpeper, F. Katamba, P. Kerswill, R. Wodak, T. McEnery,
English Language. Description, Variation and Context,
Palgrave MacMillan, Basingstoke: pp. 111-17; pp. 130-33.
Jackson, H., Z Amvela, E., 2007, Words, Meaning and
Vocabulary, Continuum, London: Chapter 5 Meaning
relations, pp. 105-122.

Topics
Theory and practice
Topics explored in class (and in readings):
Notions in English morphology, vocabulary
and syntax
Analysis of language in context: Identifying
morphological and syntactic phenomena and
exploring vocabulary and meaning relations in
English texts

Outline of todays class

Introduction: Levels of language

Overview of English phonetics and phonology
Why study English phonetics and phonology
English phonetics: What it can tell us about
speakers
Introductory notions in English phonetics, useful
for morphology and the study of English
varieties
Exploiting phonetics and phonology in English
texts

What it means to study the English language

Using the language

Learning and knowing how the language works

(metalinguistic knowledge)
Developing language awareness (how language
works in context) to improve language use

Language in context

CULTURE

CONTEXT

LANGUAGE

Levels of language
Phonetics and phonology
The sounds of English

Morphology
How English words are constructed

Syntax
How English words are combined into phrases,
clauses, sentences

Semantics
Words, sentences and meaning

Pragmatics
Words, sentences and use in context

 Phonetics and phonology

sheep [shi:p] vs. ship [ship]

Morphology
dogs, hopeless, wireless

Syntax
Meet me | in my office | at 10.

Semantics
pet, dog, Alsatian

Pragmatics
Could I have a drink? / Get me some booze!

The rank scale

TOP-DOWN

Text analysis
/ Pragmatics

TEXT / DISCOURSE

SENTENCE
Meaning
Semantics

Syntax

CLAUSE
PHRASE

WORDS
MORPHEMES
GRAPHEMES / PHONEMES

Morphology
Phonology/p
honetics

BOTTOM-UP
10

 Levels of language, use of English and what

they can tell us about a text
Word form (morphology) and what it can tell
us about specific use of English
Vocabulary selection and what it can tell us
about specific use of English
Syntactic patterns and complexity and what
they can tell us about specific use of English

Phonetics, phonology and the sounds of English

An overview
Phonetics: The study of spoken sounds in a language
Phonology: The study of the way in which sounds are
combined in a language to make meaning
Why study phonetics and phonology?
To improve your pronunciation
To help you study accents and pronunciation
To study and understand changes in pronunciation in
the history of English
To help you understand changes in pronunciation
across contexts (e.g. formal and informal
communication, spontaneous conversation vs. lectures
or speech on radio and television)

The rank scale

TEXT / DISCOURSE

Text analysis
/ Pragmatics

SENTENCE
Meaning
Semantics

CLAUSE
PHRASE

WORDS
MORPHEMES
GRAPHEMES / PHONEMES

Syntax

Morphology
Phonology/p
honetics
14

 Phonology
Abstraction
Segments (phonemes) and suprasegments
(syllables, stress, intonation)
Phonemes and distinctiveness
Minimal pairs
bet/bat; bet/bed
[bet] [bt]; [bet] [bed]

 Phonetics
Concrete phonetic realizations across
different speakers and English varieties
The notion of standard pronunciation
Received Pronunciation (RP) and General
American (GA)
Standard English

Standard English
The type of language associated with StE is closely
associated with a fairly high degree of education. It represents
the overt, public norm (Gramley & Ptzold 2004: 7-8).
Standard English is that variety of English which is usually used in print,
and which is normally taught in schools and to non-native speakers
learning the language. It is also the variety which is normally spoken by
educated people and used in news broadcasts and other similar
situations. The difference between standard and nonstandard, it should
be noted, has nothing in principle to do with differences between formal
and colloquial language, or with concepts such as bad language.
Standard English has colloquial as well as formal variants, and
standard English speakers swear as much as others.
(Trudgill 1974: 17)

Gramley & Ptzold 2004

Gramley & Ptzold 2004

What is the most common vowel sound in English?

Bill Bryson, The Mother Tongue

English spelling and pronunciation

Bill Bryson, The Mother Tongue

English and ghoti (G. B. Shaw)

What pronunciation can tell us about speakers

Accents and varieties of English:

Changes in pronunciation across contexts:

(My Fair Lady)
Eliza Doolittle: I ain't done nothin' wrong by speaking to the
gentleman. I've a right to sell flowers if I keep off the kerb. I'm a
respectable girl: so help me, I never spoke to him 'cept so far as to
buy a flower off me.
[] I ain't dirty! I washed my face and hands before I come, I did.

A little dab'll do ya. (Brylcreem)

Betcha can't eat just one.

Changes in pronunciation across contexts:

Geographical context (varieties of English)
Social context (social status, standard vs. nonstandard English)
Situational context (levels of formality and
colloquialness)

Phonotactics and pronunciation of segments in

context
Differences in segments
A case study: British and American English
Example 1.a
Example 1.b
Example 2.a
Example 2.b
Example 3.a
Example 3.b

Phonotactics and pronunciation of segments in

context
Differences in segments
A case study: British and American English
Rhoticity (actor, founder)
Intervocalic /t/ (city, water, better)
Post-nasal /t/ (nt) (intervocalic, interaction)
[d], [t], [n] + [j]
(dude, tube, news)

Phonetics, phonology and advertising

in English
Guinness is good for you
Electrolux brings luxury to life
Milk's gotta lotta bottle

Sound repetition and

sound patterns

Homophony

Playing with
sounds

Explain the following sound-based puns

Teacher: Tell me something that

conducts electricity.
Student: Why, er...
Teacher: Yes, wire! Now name a
unit of electrical power.
Student: A what?
Teacher: Yes, a watt! Very good.

Alexander the Grate

(fireplace retailer in Belfast, Northern
Ireland)

What is black and white and red all over?

A: My wife's gone to the West Indies!
B: Jamaica?
A: No, she went of her own accord!

[d mek]

Are the following homophones in English?

Are the following minimal pairs in English?

Paul call
pin bean
pie guy
bat batch
guest vest
meet - fleet
blood - flood

pie thigh
thigh high
thigh I
rough though
rough tough
shoe - clue
pane - rain