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Semantics and Pragmatics

Code: 100239 ECTS Credits: 6
2025/2026
Degree Type Year
Catalan Philology: Literary Studies and Linguistics OT 4
Spanish Language and Literature OT 3
Spanish Language and Literature OT 4
English Studies OT 3
English Studies OT 4
English and Catalan Studies OT 3
English and Catalan Studies OT 4
English and Spanish Studies OT 3
English and Spanish Studies OT 4
Catalan and Spanish Studies OT 3
Catalan and Spanish Studies OT 4
English and French Studies OT 0
English and French Studies OT 3
English and French Studies OT 4
English and Classics Studies OT 3
English and Classics Studies OT 4

Contact

Name:
Maria Teresa Espinal Farre
Email:
teresa.espinal@uab.cat

Teaching groups languages

You can view this information at the end of this document.


Prerequisites

Students must be familiar with the most basic concepts on the structure and use of language, and should be able to read and understand textbooks and articles written in English.


Objectives and Contextualisation

Introduction to the study of linguistic meaning.

The main goals of this course are the following:

  1. To acquire a general knowledge of lexical meaning, sentential meaning, and meaning in use.
  2. To understand the most basic aspects of the compositionality of meaning.
  3. To acquire a general perspective of linguistic communication and the interpretation of utterances.

Competences

    Catalan Philology: Literary Studies and Linguistics
  • Critically apply the different instruments of analysis to different types of linguistic data.
  • Critically read and interpret texts.
  • Demonstrate a mastery of the rules of the Catalan language, its linguistic bases and all its application in the academic and professional fields.
  • Display teamwork skills.
  • Identify the foundations of human language and the principles, methods and results of structural analysis of languages.
  • Produce written work and oral presentations that are effective and framed in the appropriate register.
  • Students must be capable of applying their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional way and they should have building arguments and problem resolution skills within their area of study.
  • Students must develop the necessary learning skills to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
    Spanish Language and Literature
  • Carry out effective written work or oral presentations adapted to the appropriate register in different languages.
  • Demonstrate the ability to work autonomously and in teams in order to achieve the planned objectives in multicultural and interdisciplinary contexts.
  • Develop arguments applicable to the fields of Hispanic literature, literary theory, Spanish language and linguistics, and evaluate their academic relevance.
  • Students can apply the knowledge to their own work or vocation in a professional manner and have the powers generally demonstrated by preparing and defending arguments and solving problems within their area of study.
  • Students must develop the necessary learning skills in order to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
  • Typologically identify the main phenomena of the Spanish language and relate them to similar phenomena in other languages.
    English Studies
  • Critically evaluate linguistic, literary and cultural production in English.
  • Describe and analyse—synchronically and comparatively—the main phonetic, phonological, morphological, syntactic, semantic and pragmatic properties of English and its historical development.
  • Distinguish and contrast the distinct paradigms and methodologies applied to the study of English.
  • Students can apply the knowledge to their own work or vocation in a professional manner and have the powers generally demonstrated by preparing and defending arguments and solving problems within their area of study.
  • Students must develop the necessary learning skills in order to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
    English and Catalan Studies
  • Carry out effective written work or oral presentations adapted to the appropriate register in different languages.
  • Critically apply the different instruments of analysis to different types of linguistic data.
  • Demonstrate the ability to work autonomously and in teams with the aim of attaining the planned objectives in multicultural and interdisciplinary contexts.
  • Identify the foundations of human language and the principles, methods and results of structural analysis of languages.
  • Students can apply the knowledge to their own work or vocation in a professional manner and have the powers generally demonstrated by preparing and defending arguments and solving problems within their area of study.
  • Students must develop the necessary learning skills in order to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
    English and Spanish Studies
  • Carry out effective written work or oral presentations adapted to the appropriate register in different languages.
  • Demonstrate the ability to work autonomously and in teams in order to achieve the planned objectives in multicultural and interdisciplinary contexts.
  • Identify the foundations of human language and the principles, methods and results of structural analysis of languages.
  • Students can apply the knowledge to their own work or vocation in a professional manner and have the powers generally demonstrated by preparing and defending arguments and solving problems within their area of study.
  • Students must develop the necessary learning skills in order to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
    Catalan and Spanish Studies
  • Carry out effective written work or oral presentations adapted to the appropriate register in different languages.
  • Critically apply different analytical instruments to different types of linguistic data, whether in synchronic or diachronic.
  • Demonstrate the ability to work autonomously and in teams with the aim of attaining the planned objectives in multicultural and interdisciplinary contexts.
  • Identify the foundations of human language and the principles, methods and results of structural analysis of languages.
  • Students can apply the knowledge to their own work or vocation in a professional manner and have the powers generally demonstrated by preparing and defending arguments and solving problems within their area of study.
  • Students must develop the necessary learning skills in order to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
    English and French Studies
  • Carry out effective written work or oral presentations adapted to the appropriate register in different languages.
  • Demonstrate the ability to work autonomously and in teams with the aim of attaining the planned objectives in multicultural and interdisciplinary contexts.
  • Identify the foundations of human language and the principles, methods and results of structural analysis of languages.
  • Students can apply the knowledge to their own work or vocation in a professional manner and have the powers generally demonstrated by preparing and defending arguments and solving problems within their area of study.
  • Students must develop the necessary learning skills in order to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
    English and Classics Studies
  • Demonstrate the ability to work autonomously and in teams in order to achieve the planned objectives in multicultural and interdisciplinary contexts.
  • Identify the foundations of human language, the principles, methods and results of the structural analysis of languages.
  • Produce effective written work or oral presentations adapted to the appropriate register in distinct languages.
  • Students can apply the knowledge to their own work or vocation in a professional manner and have the powers generally demonstrated by preparing and defending arguments and solving problems within their area of study.
  • Students must develop the necessary learning skills in order to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Accurately drawing up normative texts.
  2. Analyse different types of linguistic data.
  3. Analyse various types of linguistic data.
  4. Analysing various types of linguistic data.
  5. Apply findings presented in specialist papers to the analysis of similar or related phenomena.
  6. Applying the results presented in specialised articles to the analysis of similar or related phenomena.
  7. Appropriately use the different available formal and technical resources.
  8. Appropriately using the different available formal and technical resources.
  9. Construct normatively correct texts.
  10. Create an organised and correct discourse, spoken and in writing, in the corresponding language.
  11. Develop an organized and correct oral and written speech, in the corresponding language.
  12. Drawing up brief original works about these topics.
  13. Identify different theoretical options or ways to address the same problems from alternative theoretical frameworks.
  14. Identify principal and secondary ideas and express them using correct language.
  15. Identify the main and secondary ideas and express them with linguistic correctness.
  16. Identifying different theoretical options or ways of dealing with the same problem from alternative theoretical frameworks.
  17. Identifying main and supporting ideas and expressing them with linguistic correctness.
  18. Identifying the main and secondary ideas and expressing them with linguistic correctness.
  19. Plan, organise and carry out work in a team.
  20. Preparing an oral and written discourse in the corresponding language in a proper and organized way.
  21. Produce normatively correct written and oral texts.
  22. Resolving problems independently.
  23. Solve complex linguistic analysis at any level and with the appropriate tools.
  24. Solve complex problems of linguistic analysis at any level and using the appropriate tools.
  25. Solve problems autonomously.
  26. Solve problems of grammatical analysis.
  27. Solve problems self-sufficiently.
  28. Solving complex problems of linguistic analysis in any level with the appropriate tools.
  29. Solving problems autonomously.
  30. Solving problems of grammatical analysis.
  31. Summarise the knowledge acquired about the origin of the various fields within the discipline and the transformations they have undergone.
  32. Summarising acquired knowledge about the origin and transformations experienced in its several fields of study.
  33. Synthesise the knowledge acquired on the origin and transformations undergone by the different fields of study of the discipline.
  34. Use and interpret texts of an interdisciplinary nature on the connections between linguistics and other disciplines.
  35. Use and interpret texts of interdisciplinary nature about the connections between linguistics and other disciplines.
  36. Write brief original texts on these topics.
  37. Write short original papers on topics related to linguistics.
  38. Write text commentaries from a critical standpoint.

Content

  1. The study of the lexicon and the study of meaning in the grammar of natural languages.
  2. Reference, truth and meaning.
  3. Predication and quantification.
  4. Modification and intensionality.
  5. Pragmatics of context.
  6. Communication and relevance.
  7. Cognitive semantics.

Activities and Methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Autonomous      
Readings 75 3 2, 4, 3, 6, 5, 1, 8, 7, 35, 34, 18, 17, 14, 13, 16, 19, 21, 38, 37, 24, 23, 28, 26, 29, 32

Classes in which the main concepts are exposed will be combined with the resolution of exercises and oral presentations. The teaching methodology and the evaluation may undergo some modification subject to the onsite teaching restrictions imposed by health authorities.

The calendar will be available on the first day of class. Students will find all information on the Virtual Campus: the description of the activities, teaching materials, and any necessary information for the proper follow-up of the subject. In case of a change of teaching modality for health reasons, teachers will make readjustments in the schedule and methodologies.

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.


Assessment

Continous Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Exam 50% 0 0 3, 2, 4, 6, 1, 20, 7, 35, 34, 18, 16, 21, 12, 38, 37, 28, 24, 23, 30, 26, 29, 32
Exercises 40% 75 3 4, 3, 2, 6, 5, 1, 9, 20, 10, 11, 8, 7, 35, 34, 17, 14, 15, 18, 13, 16, 19, 21, 12, 38, 36, 37, 28, 24, 23, 26, 30, 29, 25, 22, 27, 32, 31, 33
Participation 10% 0 0 3, 30, 29

Evaluation is based on the following activities:

(a)   Active participation in classes and tutorials. 10%.

(b)   Delivery of exercises and/or oral presentations, as will be established in due time. 40%.

(c)   Exam. 50%.

Students will pass with a minimum 5 score.

Access to reevaluation will be allowed to those students that have delivered at least two thirds of the activities, and have obtained between 3.5 and 4.9. The maximal score that can be obtained in this exam is 5.

Activity (a) cannot be recovered.

Dates for the delivery of activities and their revision will be announced in the Virtual Campus.

In case that the above mentioned activities cannot be done at the UAB, their format will be adapted (keeping the weight) to the possibilities offered by the virtual tools recommended by the UAB. Exercises, activities and participation in class will be undertaken through forums, wikis and/or discussion of exercises by means of Teams. All students should have access to them.

Students will be qualified as “Not evaluable” when not more than 25% of the evaluable activities have been delivered.

In case of any irregularity committed by a student that might lead to a significant variation of the score of an act of evaluation, this will be qualified 0, independently of any additional disciplinary process that might be instructed. In case various irregularities are produced with respect to evaluable activities, the final score will be 0.

For this subject, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is permitted under conditions that are clearly and transparently agreed upon between the teacher and the student. The student must clearly identify which parts have been generated with this technology, specify the tools used and include a critical reflection on how these have influenced the process and the final result of the activity. The lack of transparency in the use of AI in this assessable activity will be considered a lack of academic honesty and may lead to a partial or total penalty in the grade of the activity, or greater sanctions in serious cases.

Unique evaluation:

(a)   Written exam. 50%

(b)   Oral interview for the evaluation of competences. 30% 

(c)    Problem resolution. 20%

The conditions for reevaluation are the same as for the continuous evaluation. 


Bibliography

Aloni, M. & P. Dekker (2016), The Cambridge handbook of formal semantics. Cambridge: CUP.

Birner, B. (2013), Introduction to pragmatics. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.

Blakemore, D. (1992), Understanding utterances. An introduction to pragmatics, Oxford: Blackwell.

Cann, R. (1993), Formal semantics. Cambridge: CUP.

Cann, R. R. Kempson & E. Gregoromichelaki (2009), Semantics. An introduction to meaning and language. Cambridge: CUP.

Chierchia, G. (1997). Semantica. Bologna, Il Mulino.

Coppock, E. & L. Champollion (2022). Invitation to formal semantics. Ms. https://eecoppock.info/bootcamp/Invitation_to_formal_semantics-2022Jan18.pdf

Cuenca,  M.J. & J. Hilferthy (1999), Introducción a la lingüística cognitiva, Barcelona: Ariel.

Cruse, A. (2000), Meaning in language, Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Davis, S. & B. Gillon (eds.) (2004), Semantics. A reader. Oxford: OUP.

Davis, S. (ed.) (1991) Pragmatics: a reader. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

*Escandell, M.V. (1996, 2006), Introducción a la pragmática, Barcelona: Ariel. https://www.planetadelibros.com/libro-introduccion-a-la-pragmatica/112776#soporte/113053

*Escandell, M.V. (2004), Fundamentos de semántica composicional. Barcelona: Ariel.

Escandell, M.V. (2016), Pragmática. En J. Gutiérrez-Rexach (ed.), Enciclopedia de Lingüística Hispánica. Oxford: Routledge, 257-270.

Escandell, M.V. (2020), La comunicación. Lengua, cognición y sociedad. Madrid: Akal. https://www.akal.com/libro/la-comunicacion_34994/edicion/ebook-57291/

Escandell, M.V., J. Amenós-Pons, A.K. Ahern (eds.) (2021), Pragmática. Madrid: Akal.

Escandell, M.V., M. Leonetti, C. Sánchez López (eds.) (2011), 60 Problemas de gramática. Madrid: Akal.

Espinal, M.T. (1988), Significat i interpretació, Barcelona: Publicacions de l’Abadia de Montserrat.

*Espinal, M.T (coord.) (2002), Semàntica. Del significat del mot al significat del’oració, Barcelona: Ariel.

*Espinal, M.T (coord.) (2014), Semántica. Madrid: Akal.

https://www.akal.com/libro/semantica_34976/edicion/ebook-57501/

García Murga, F. (2002), El significado. Una introducción a la semàntica. Munich: Lincom.

García Murga, F. (2014), Semántica. Madrid: Síntesis.

Geeraerts, D. & H. Cuyckens (2010), The Oxford handbook of cognitive linguistics. Oxford: OUP.

Horn, L. & G. Ward (eds.) (2004, 2006), The handbook of pragmatics. Oxford: Blackwell.

Jaszczolt, K. M. (2023), Semantics, pragmatics, philosophy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Kearns, K. (2000, 2011), Semantics. Londres: Palgrave.

Lappin, S. (ed.) (1997), The handbook of contemporary semantic theory. Oxford: Blackwell.

Löbner, S. (2002, 2013), Understanding semantics. London: Routledge.

Lyons, J. (1995), Linguistic semantics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Maienborn, C., K. Von Heusinger & Paul Portner (2011), Semantics: an international handbook of natural language meaning. 3 vols. Berlin: de Gruyter.

de Miguel, E. (ed.) (2009), Panorama de lexicología. Barcelona: Ariel.

Moreno Cabrera, J.C. (2003), Semántica y gramática, Madrid: Antonio Machado Libros.

Portner, P. (2005), What is meaning? Fundamentals of formal semantics, Oxford: Blackwell.

Portner, P. & B. Partee (eds.) (2002), Formal semantics: The essential readings. Oxford: Blackwell.

Riemer, Nick (2016), The Routledge handbook of semantics. Oxford: Routledge.

Saeed, J.I. (1997, 20113), Semantics. Oxford: Blackwell. 

Turner, K. (ed.) (1999), The semantics / pragmatics interface from different points of view, Amsterdam: Elsevier.

Yule, G. (1996), Pragmatics. Oxford: OUP.

Zimmermann, T.E. & W. Sternefeld (2013). Introduction to semantics: an essential guide to the composition of meaning. Berlín: De Gruyter.


Software

   


Groups and Languages

Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2025. You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject.

Name Group Language Semester Turn
(PAUL) Classroom practices 1 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 1 Catalan second semester morning-mixed