126-478 Text Linguistics of German

Note

Available as 126-378 at 3rd-year level.

Credit Points

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Subject Description

As opposed to the study of isolated linguistic microstructures by linguistic disciplines such as segmental phonology, morphology, and syntax, text linguistics takes the entire text as the basic unit of linguistic analysis, following a top-down strategy that tries to describe smaller linguistic elements from a global textual viewpoint. A text is not considered as the sum of its words or sentences, but rather as a system in its own right. Thus the aim of text linguistics is the systematic description of the conditions and rules of text constitution and text understanding. Some of the topics to be discussed in the subject are: criteria of textuality, topic and structure of texts, textual reference, and classification of text types.

Assessment

Written work in German of no more than 5,000 words for MA, 4,000 words for 4th year and 3,000 words for 3rd year.

Prescribed Texts

See Departmental Course and Subject Guide