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Introduction to the Philosophy of Language

Code: 106281 ECTS Credits: 6
2025/2026
Degree Type Year
English Studies FB 1

Contact

Name:
Olga Fernandez Prat
Email:
olga.fernandez@uab.cat

Teachers

(External) Roger Deulofeu

Teaching groups languages

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


Prerequisites

No prerequisites


Objectives and Contextualisation

The general objective is to introduce students to the main questions, theories, and authors in the philosophy of language, while providing the conceptual and argumentative tools necessary to critically reflect on the nature of language and its relationship to thought, the world, and communication.

The specific objectives are:

  • To understand the fundamental questions in the philosophy of language, such as: What is meaning? How do words refer to things in the world? How does linguistic communication work?

  • To become familiar with the most relevant authors and schools of thought.

  • To distinguish between the main theories of meaning.


Competences

  • Act with ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights and duties, diversity and democratic values. 
  • Demonstrate skills to work autonomously and in teams to fulfil the planned objectives.
  • Students must have and understand knowledge of an area of study built on the basis of general secondary education, and while it relies on some advanced textbooks it also includes some aspects coming from the forefront of its field of study.
  • Understand and produce written and spoken academic texts in English at an advanced proficient-user level (C1).
  • Use digital tools and specific documentary sources for the collection and organisation of information.
  • Use written and spoken English for academic and professional purposes, related to the study of linguistics, the philosophy of language, history, English culture and literature.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Critically analyse the principles, values and procedures governing the field of study.
  2. Distinguish and outline the fundamental content of a philosophical argument.
  3. Express oneself in English, orally and in writing, in an academic register and using the appropriate terminology in relation to the study of the philosophy of language.
  4. Identify and explain aspects of the philosophy of language using the discipline-specific terminology.
  5. Identify and explain the methods of study of the philosophy of language.
  6. Locate specialised and academic information and select this according to its relevance.
  7. Plan work effectively, individually or in groups, in order to fulfil the planned objectives.
  8. Understand specialised academic texts on the fundamental concepts of the philosophy of language.

Content

I. Introduction to the fundamental ideas of the philosophy of language, with a focus on their application to linguistic and literary analysis.

· Meaning, sense, reference

· Syntax, semantics, pragmatics
· Introduction to formal logic: propositional and first-order logic

II. Semantics

  1. Sense and reference – Frege
  2. Definite descriptions – Russell
  3. Sentences without truth value – Strawson
  4. Referential use and attributive use of descriptions – Donnell
  5. Theory of descriptive bundles – Searle
  6. Causal theory of reference and semantic externalism – Putnam

III. Pragmatics

  1. Speech act theory – Austin and Searle
  2. Conversational implicatures – Grice
  3. Theories about metaphor: semantic, pragmatic, and expressive approaches

Activities and Methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Master classes 35 1.4 8, 2, 4, 5, 6
Seminars 11 0.44 2, 3, 6
Type: Supervised      
tutorship 22 0.88 1, 3, 4, 5, 7
Type: Autonomous      
Case studies 31 1.24 8, 3, 4, 5, 6
Readings of the recommended bibliography 44 1.76 2, 5, 6, 7

The methodology of the course combines presentations of the theory by teachers and participatory activities in small groups in the form of a seminar.

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
Multiple choice test or equivalent 30% 2.5 0.1 1, 8, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7
Practices (text comments, presentations) 30% 2.5 0.1 1, 8, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Synthesis exam 40% 2 0.08 1, 8, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7

The assessment method will consist of three tests. One will be a multiple-choice or short-answer test, another will be a synthesis test, and the final one will be a practical component. Each test will be worth a maximum of 10 points, and students must obtain a global average score—calculated as the sum of the three tests divided by 3 ((P1+P2+P3)/3)—of at least 5 points in order to pass the course. Completing all three tests is mandatory to pass.

Resit Exam:

To be eligible for the resit exam, students must have completed all three components of the continuous assessment and obtained a minimum average score of 3.5.

Single Assessment Option:

This subject does not incorporate the single-assessment option.

When each assessment activity takes place, the instructor will inform students (via Moodle) of the procedure and date for grade review.

Students will receive a grade of “Not assessable” if they have submitted fewer than one-third of the assessed activities.

Erasmus students requesting to take an exam early must provide the instructor with a written document from their home university justifying their request.

  • If a student engages in any irregularity that could significantly alter the result of an assessment, that specific activity will receive a grade of 0, regardless of any disciplinary actions that may follow. If multiple irregularities occur in the same course, the final grade for that course will be 0.

  • The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is not permitted at any stage of this course. Any work containing AI-generated content will be considered an act of academic dishonesty and will automatically receive a grade of 0 with no option to resit, or harsher penalties in serious cases.


Bibliography

 

Acero, J.J, Bustos, E. y Quesada, D., Introducción a la filosofía del lenguaje, Madrid: Cátedra, 1982

Acero JJ (1985), Filosofía y análisis del lenguaje, Madrid, Cincel.

García Suárez (1997), Modos de significar, Una introducción temática a la filosofia del lenguaje, Madrid, Tecnos.

García-Carpintero, M., Las palabras, las ideas y las cosas: una presentación de la filosofía del lenguaje, Barcelona: Ariel, 1996

Pérez Otero, Manuel. Aproximació a la filosofia del llenguatge. Edicions Universitat de Barcelona, 2001/2008.

Valdés Villanueva, L. (2005) La búsqueda del significado: Lecturas de Filosofía del Lenguaje. Barcleona: Tecnos.


Software

No specific software needed


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 English second semester morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 1 English second semester morning-mixed