Slovene Morphology

The primary goal is to familiarize students with the basics of morphological processes observed in Slovenian data and thereby equip them with the tools required for independent analysis of Slovenian data at a basic level. We aim to deliver the contents in a manner that will provide them with a partial overview of Slovenian morphology both from a general linguistic perspective and from the perspective of traditional Slovenian linguistics.

No special prerequisites for enrolment.

This course offers an introduction to the inflectional and derivational system of Slovenian delivered against a general linguistic model of inflection and derivation. It includes an introduction to the core elements of morphology, their definitions and their use in linguistic analysis, the division of morphology into inflection and derivation, an overview of the basic characteristics of derivation and compounding in Slovenian, the hierarchical structure of words, and an overview of the basic characteristics of inflectional categories in Slovenian.

Students acquire a basic familiarity of morphological concepts and processes in Slovenian and by extension a basic familiarity of morphological concepts and processes in natural language in general. They will be capable of performing independent morphological analysis of Slovenian data at a basic level, and provided they have a knowledge of other languages, partly also of performing independent morphological analysis of data from those languages.

• Lieber, Rochelle. 2015. Introducing morphology. 2nd edition. NY: Cambridge University Press. Catalogue E-version
• Aronoff, Mark in Kirsten Anne Fudeman. 2011. What is morphology? Second edition. Malden/ Oxford/Carleton: Blackwell. Catalogue E-version
• Booij, Gert. 2012. The grammar of words: an introduction to linguistic morphology (3rd edition). New York: Oxford University Press. Catalogue E-version
• Pinker, Steven. 2010. Jezikovni nagon. Ljubljana: Modrijan. [prevod A. E. Skubic] – 5. poglavje: Besede, besede, besede; str. 124-156. Catalogue
• Golden, Marija. 1997. O jeziku in jezikoslovju. Ljubljana: FF UL. – poglavje 6.2: Morfološka ravnina; str. 147-169. Catalogue
• Jože Toporišič. 2000. Slovenska slovnica (4. izdaja). Maribor: Obzorja. Catalogue
• Peter Herrity. 2015. Slovene: a comprehensive grammar. 2nd edition. London/New York: Routledge. Catalogue E-version
• Class handouts / lecture notes

Final exam (70%) and home assignments (30%). To obtain a passing grade for the course, the student must receive a passing grade on the final exam and a cumulative passing grade on home assignments.

Rok Žaucer is associate professor of linguistics at the School of Humanities and the School of Graduate Studies of the University of Nova Gorica. His research topics include morphology and syntax (especially on the basis of Slovenian data) as well as language policy and language consulting. In morphology, he focuses on derivation and the interface between morphology and syntax.

Selected articles:
MARUŠIČ, Franc, MIŠMAŠ, Petra, ŽAUCER, Rok. Zakaj velika okrogla rdeča čestitka in ne rdeča velika okrogla čestitka? : poskus razlage nezaznamovane stave pridevnikov. V: KRAJNC IVIČ, Mira (ur.), ŽELE, Andreja (ur.). Pogled v jezik in iz jezika : Adi Vidovič Muha ob jubileju, (Mednarodna knjižna zbirka Zora, 133). Maribor: Univerzitetna založba: = University Press. 2020, str. 103-115. [COBISS.SI-ID 21145603]
MARUŠIČ, Franc, ŽAUCER, Rok. On the nature of prenumeral adjectives. V: STANKOVIĆ, Branimir (ur.), JANIĆ, Aleksandra (ur.). SinFonIJA 6 proceedings, (Library Scientific Conferences). Niš: Faculty of Philosophy University. 2019, str. 39-61, ilustr. [COBISS.SI-ID 5477371]
MARUŠIČ, Franc, ŽAUCER, Rok. Coordinate structure constraint : A-/A'- movement vs. clitic movement. Linguistica Brunensia, ISSN 1803-7410, 2018, vol. 65, iss. 2, str. 69-85, ilustr. [COBISS.SI-ID 5133051]
MIŠMAŠ, Petra, POPOVIĆ, Tjaša, ŽAUCER, Rok. Kaj nam usvajanje nejezikovnih prvin pove o ustroju jezika. V: BIZJAK KONČAR, Aleksandra (ur.), DOBROVOLJC, Helena (ur.). Zbornik prispevkov s simpozija 2017. V Novi Gorici: Založba Univerze. 2018, str. 125-136, ilustr. [COBISS.SI-ID 5276411]
MARUŠIČ, Franc, ŽAUCER, Rok. The modal cycle vs. negation in Slovenian. V: MARUŠIČ, Franc (ur.), ŽAUCER, Rok (ur.). Formal studies in Slovenian syntax : in honor of Janez Orešnik, (Linguistik aktuell, ISSN 0166-0829, vol. 236). Amsterdam; Philadelphia: J. Benjamins Publishing Company. cop. 2016, str. 167-191, ilustr. [COBISS.SI-ID 4602363]