English Morphosyntax

The goal of this course is to provide an introduction to English to syntactic theory, paying particular attention to the simple sentence and its constituent units. Attention will also be paid to word-clases/categories and to the main morphological processes.
This implies getting students to ask themselves questions about aspects of that hidden structure that usually go unnoticed due to the fact that normal language use is effortless. It also implies that a methodology of analysis be developed. Students are expected to be able to embed the specific contents of the course in a much wider context that addresses the human language faculty in general. Finally, students are also expected to handle bibliographical sources adequately and to fully appreciate the variety of approaches to the description and explication of grammar.

The course addresses some basic issues in the morphosyntax of the English (simple) clause, as well as the structure and function of its constituent units: phrases or groups. As a result, students will have to (1) adequately recognise the difference between morphology, a lexicon and a grammar, (2) scientifically discern the necessary vs. dispensable constituents of clausal predications (complements vs adjuncts), and (3) provide syntactic analyses of both clauses and phrases/groups of different kinds (especially verbal and nominal). Practical tasks will be provided to encompass theory and practice. Discussion of the main possibilities of analysis will play a major part.

The course units are as follows:

1. Introduction to English Morpho-Syntax. Word-clases and main morphological processes.
2. The verb phrase/group. Simple clause constituents.
3. The noun phrase/group
4. Adjective and the adverb phrase/group
5. The prepositional phrase

1. Textbooks and specialised references

Aarts, B. 2001. English Syntax and Argumentation. Basingstoke: Palgrave
Bauer, Laurie. 1983. English Word-formation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Biber, D. et al. 1999. Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written English. London: Longman.
Biber, D., Conrad, S. & Leech, G. 2002. Longman Student Grammar of Spoken and Written English. Harlow: Longman.
Bloor, Th. & Bloor, M. 1995. The Functional Analysis of English. London: Arnold.
Brown, K. & Miller, J. 1991. Syntax. A Linguistic Introduction to Sentence Structure. HarperCollins.
Burton-Roberts, N. 1997. Analysing Sentences: An Introduction to English Syntax. Second edition. Longman.
* Downing, A. & Locke, P. 2006. English Grammar. A University Course. Second edition. London: Routledge.
Eggins, S. 2005. Introduction to Systemic Function Linguistics. London: Continuum.
Greenbaum, S. & Quirk, R. 1991. A Student´s Grammar of the English Language. London: Longman.
Halliday, M.A.K., & Matthiessen, C. M. I. M. 2004 (3rd ed.). An Introduction to Functional Grammar. London: Arnold.
* Huddleston, R. 1984. An Introduction to the Grammar of English. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
* Huddleston, R. 1988. English Grammar. An Outline. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Huddleston, R. & Pullum, G. 2002. The Cambridge Grammar of the English language Cambridge: Cambridge University Press..
Huddleston, R. & Pullum, G. 2005. A Student´s Introduction to English Grammar. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Matthews, P.H. 1991. 2nd edition. Morphology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Plag, Ingo. 2003. Word-formation in English. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Quirk, R. et al. 1985. A University Grammar of English. London: Longman.
Radford, A. 1988. Transformational Grammar. A First Course. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Radford, A. 1997. Syntactic Theory and the Structure of English. A Minimalist Approach. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Radford, A. 2004. Minimalist Syntax. Exploring the Structure of English. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Radford, A. 2004. English Syntax: An Introduction. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Taylor, J. 2002. Cognitive Grammar. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Van Valin, R. 2001. An Introduction to Syntax. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Yule, G. 1998. Explaining English Grammar. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

+ basic references

2. Encyclopaedias and general linguistics references

Aronoff, Mark & Rees-Miller, Janie (eds.). 2002. The Handbook of Linguistics. Oxford: Blackwell.
Asher, Robert E. (ed.). 1994. The Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics. Oxford: Pergamon Press.
Brown, Keith (ed.). 2006. Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics, 2ª ed. Boston: Elsevier.
Crystal, David. 1997. The Cambridge Encyclopaedia of the English Language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Frawley, William J. 2003. International Encyclopaedia of Linguistics. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

3. Websites

- Englicious org: English Language Resources for Schools
http://www.englicious.org/>
- Linguistics Research Digest
http://linguistics-research-digest.blogspot.com.es/>
- Grammar Quizzes. Practice on Points of English Grammar
http://www.grammar-quizzes.com/sentsum.html>
- Clause Analysis for Students
https://aggslanguage.wordpress.com/clause-analysis-for-students/>
- Clause Quiz
http://www.csus.edu/owl/index/sent/clause_quiz.htm

(1) Knowledge of technical notions, basic terminology and strategies that may favour students' scientific study and analysis of English grammar.
(2) Use of information sources and materials that may promote students' autonomous learning of linguistic phenomena.
(3) Capacity to analyse linguistic facts from different perspectives.
(4) Development of skills for the description of linguistic units and structures together with their uses and communicative functions.
(5) Knowledge of techniques and methods of analysis that will allow students to analyse and contrast linguistic structres at different levels: morphological, lexical, semantic and syntactic.

BASIC COMPETENCES: CB1, CB2, CB3, CB4, CB5

GENERAL COMPETENCES: CG3, CG6, CG7, CG8, CG9, CE2, CE3

Theory classes will take place in one large classroom with all students present. Seminars (of groups of up to twenty/twenty-five students) will practise the points discussed in the interactive classes and occasionally discuss short readings. In any case, no strict separation between theory and practice can be expected as often both dimensions will figure, in different proportions, in both kinds of classes. Tutorials will be face-to-face as far as possible although they may also take place via MS Teams, e-learning platform or any other institutional tool or application if that were necessary.
Additional materials for the different units of the course will be available in the 'virtual campus'.

Attendance is obligatory but grades will also depend on student´s active participation and on student´s submission of practical exercises . The weightning of this part will be 30%. There will be a major exam at the end of the period of classes. Grades for this will be from 0 to 10. This exam will tackle theory and practical issues. The weightning of this part will be 70%. Students will have to pass the final exam to obtain a satisfactory grade for the course.
Students who take the July examination, as well as those with official absence waiver, will be examined only via a final exam (100%). This also applies to those students who take the course for a second time and let their teacher know in advance (approx. first month).

If academic dishonesty, fraudulent or suspicious practices are detected in assignments or exams of any kind, the "Normativa de avaliación do rendemento académico dos estudantes e de revisión de cualificacións" will be applied.

LECTURES: 32 hours (in class teaching sessions) + 40 hours (out of the class ) = Total 72 hours
SEMINARS: 16 hours (in class teaching sessions) + 44 hours (out of the class) = Total 60 hours
GROUP TUTORIALS: 3 hours (in class) + 3 hours (out of the class) = Total 6 hours
ASSESSMENT SESSIONS: 3 (in class) + 9 (out of the class) = Total 12 hours
TOTAL: 54 hours (in class) + 96 (out of the class) = Total 150 hours

Students would do well to read some of the recommended literature, specially if their reading regime is established in accordance with the teacher´s judgement.