Personal data
Name: Denis
Family name: Delfitto
Born in Felizzano (AL), Italy
Date of birth: February 17, 1962
Nationality: Italian
Research interests
Syntax/semantics interface – Syntax and semantics of compounding – Syntax and semantics of noun phrases – Pronominal and temporal anaphora – Syntax of reference and natural language ontology – Quantification in natural language – Linguistic change and language development – Romance/Germanic comparative syntax and semantics – Philosophy of language – History of logic
Academic positions
2009 – 2011: Vice-dean of the Faculty of Humanities at the Verona University
2005 – 2011: Vice-rector for International Relations at the Verona University
2001 – present: Full Professor in General Linguistics at the Department of Linguistics, Literature and Communication Sciences of the Verona University. Teaching fields (Bachelor, Master and PhD programs): Formal Syntax and Semantics of Natural Language, Philosophy of Language, Semiotics
1999 – 2001: Senior Researcher at the Utrecht Institute of Linguistics (UiL-OTS) of the Utrecht University
1996 – 2001: Associate Professor in Italian Linguistics at the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures of the Utrecht University
1990 – 1996: Associate Professor in Italian Linguistics at the Department of Romance Languages of the Utrecht University
Education
1976-1981
Liceo Classico “G. Plana” (Alessandria – Italy). High School Graduation: 60/60
1981-1985
B.A. and M.A. degree in Philosophy (Philosophy of Language and Logic) at the University of Pisa. Master thesis: “Branching quantification in natural language” (110/110 cum laude)
B.A. and M.A. degree in Philosophy at the Scuola Normale Superiore of Pisa
1986-1990
Ph.D. in Theoretical Linguistics at the Scuola Normale Superiore of Pisa. Ph.D. thesis: “Generics and Variables in Syntax” (70/70 cum laude)
Academic Appointments (primary)
1990 – 2001
Associate Professor in Italian Linguistics at the Department of Romance Languages (since 1996: Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures), Utrecht University
1999 – 2001
Senior Researcher at the Utrecht Institute of Linguistics OTS (UiL OTS), Utrecht University
2001 – present
Full Professor in General Linguistics, University of Verona
Distinctions and Fellowships
Fulbright Fellow, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, January-June, 1988
NIAS Fellow, Netherlands Institute for Advanced Studies, Wassenaar, The Netherlands, January-June, 1997
LaBRI Fellow (CNRS Grant: research project “Modelling propositional attributions and pronominal anaphora”), University of Bordeaux 1, April-May, 2008
Fellow UiL OTS, Cooperint, Utrecht Institute of Linguistics OTS, Utrecht University, August-September, 2010
Fellow UiL-OTS, Utrecht Institute of Linguistics OTS, Utrecht University, January-March, 2011
Grant-funded Projects
2004 – 2007: “Language genesis and evolution” (European Project coordinated by D. Delfitto and M. Everaert. Participating institutions: Utrecht University and University of Verona). Financier: NWO (Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research), Council for the Humanities
2007 – 2010: “Bantu, Chinese, Romance nouns and noun phrases” (European Network coordinated by L.L. Cheng. Participating institutions: Leiden University, SOAS, University of Essex, ZAS, University of Verona, University of Trieste and University of Trento). Financier: NWO (Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research), Council for the Humanities (D36900: Language and Literature Studies of other Language Groups)
2008 – 2009: “Computational aspects of compounding” (Post-Doc Project, University of Verona)
2009 – 2011: “Semantic deficits in developmental dyslexia” (Post-Doc Project, University of Verona)
Visiting Appointments
January – June, 1988: Visiting Scholar, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
January – June, 1990: Visiting Scholar, Department of Linguistics, University of Geneva
January – June, 1997: Visiting Scientist, NIAS (Netherlands Institute for Advanced Studies), Wassenaar, The Netherlands
October – December, 2002: Visiting Professor, LUCL (Leiden University Centre for Linguistics), Leiden University
February – March, 2004: Visiting Professor, LUCL (Leiden University Centre for Linguistics), Leiden University
March – May, 2008: Invited Professor, LaBRI (Laboratoire Bordelais de Recherche en Informatique), University of Bordeaux 1
January – July, 2009: Invited Professor, Department of Linguistics, University of Geneva
January – July, 2010: Invited professor, Department of Linguistics, University of Geneva
August – September, 2010: Visiting Professor, UiL OTS (Utrecht Institute of Linguistics OTS), Utrecht University
Organization/Co-Organization of Conferences, Workshops and Events
February 23-25, 2012: 38th Incontro di Grammatica Generativa (IGG 38). International meeting, University of Verona
July 8-9, 2011: Left Periphery: Where syntax and discourse meet. International workshop, University of Verona. Grant funded
November 17-18, 2008: Words don't come easy. International workshop, University of Verona. Grant funded
June 17, 2008: Linguistic perspectives on dyslexia. International workshop, University of Verona. Grant funded
January 18, 2008: Linguistics, genetics and archaeology in the paleoethnological research. International conference, University of Verona. Grant funded
June 7, 2007: Compounding theory and Chinese morpho-syntax . International workshop of (in)formal linguistics, University of Verona. Grant funded
March 12 and 15, 2007: Issues of logical form . International conference, University of Verona
May 5, 2006: International miniworkshop on formal linguistics , University of Verona
October 21, 2004: Meaning in linguistics and in the philosophy of language . International workshop, University of Verona
June 4, 2004: Language genesis and evolution . International conference, University of Verona. Grant funded
October 20, 2003: Syntax and interpretation in language: Anaphoric dependencies and discourse. International workshop, University of Verona
December 13, 2002: New perspectives in applied linguistics: The acquisition of grammatical competence between psycholinguistics and neurosciences. International workshop, University of Verona
1991-2000: Going Romance . International conference (Co-Organizer), The Netherlands. Grant funded
Courses Taught (not including research seminars)
2001 – present University of Verona:
undergraduate:
• Introduction to General Linguistics
• Philosophy of Language
graduate:
• Semiotics (M.A.)
• Grammatical Systems and Interpretation Systems (M.A.)
• Minimalist Syntax (Ph.D.)
• Grammatical Features and Linguistic Diversity: Synchronic and Diachronic Aspects (Ph.D.)
October 10-14, 2011: Lost in linguistics. A guide to the current landscape of linguistic theory . Introductory PhD course in Semantics and Pragmatics. Oslo University, Oslo, Norway
http://www.hf.uio.no/forskning/utdanning-og-karriere/gjennomforing/sprak/arr_sprak/linguistics.html
June 13-24, 2011: State of the art: The syntax-semantics interface. LOT Summer school 2011, Leuven, Belgium (with E. Reuland)
September 30, 2010: Some comments on the theta-system . Leiden University
Spring Term 2009-2010:
• Between lexicon and syntax (M.A.). University of Geneva
• Anaphora and quantification (B.A.). University of Geneva
• Grammatical features at the interface syntax/semantics (M.A.). University of Geneva
Spring Term 2008-2009:
• Compounding between lexicon, syntax, and systems of interpretation (M.A.). University of Geneva
• Anaphoric dependencies: syntax and interpretation (B.A.). University of Geneva
Fall Term 2008-2009: Semantics and Lexicon 2 . 20 hours course for the M.A. program in Linguistics, University of Bologna
May, 2008: Compounding at the syntax/semantics interface . 12 hours course for the Ph.D. program in Linguistics, University of Palermo-Agrigento,
March 31, 2008: Introduction to formal semantics: Some notes on pronominal anaphora. “Journées de Sémantique et Modélisation”. Course for the Ph.D. program, University of Toulouse-Le Mirail
Fall Term 2007-2008: Semantics and Lexicon 2 . 20 hours course for the M.A. program in Linguistics, University of Bologna
Fall Term 2006-2007: Semantics and Lexicon 2 . 20 hours course for the M.A. program in Linguistics, University of Bologna
March, 2006: Logic and meaning in natural languages. 24 hours course for the M.A. program in Linguistics, Pavia, IUSS (Istituto Universitario di Studi Superiori)
May, 2005: A research on the syntax and semantics of reference to facts . 12 hours course for the Ph.D. program in Linguistics, University of Palermo-Agrigento
May, 1999:
• The imperfect: Between tense and modality . Erasmus Course (M.A.), University of Bergamo
• The future: Between tense and modality . Erasmus Course (M.A.), University of Bergamo
April, 1994: Syntax and semantics of bare nouns: Towards a comparative analysis . Erasmus Course (M.A.), University of Pavia
1990 – 2001: Utrecht University:
undergraduate:
• Introduction to the Syntax of Romance Languages
• Introduction to Italian Linguistics
Ph.D. Thesis Supervision (completed)
Linda Escobar
Lefthand satellites in Spanish . Utrecht University, 1995 (supervision with J. Schroten)
Petra Sleeman
Licensing empty nouns in French . University of Amsterdam, 1996 (supervision with A. Hulk)
Ellen-Petra Kester
The nature of adjectival inflection . 1996 (supervision with E. Reuland and J. Schroten)
Manuela Pinto
Licensing and interpretation of inverted subjects in Italian . Utrecht University, 1997 (supervision with E. Reuland and P. Coopmans)
Sergio Baauw
Grammatical features and the acquisition of reference: A comparative study of Dutch and Spanish . Utrecht University, 2000 (supervision with P. Coopmans)
Roberto Bonato
An integrated computational approach to Binding Theory . University of Verona/University of Bordeaux 1, 2006 (co-tutored International Ph.D. Project: supervision with C. Retoré)
Laura Pirani
Morphological processes in the Mandarin nominal domain . University of Verona, 2007
Maria Perbellini
Lexical collocations in Spanish: Between linguistic theorizing and grammatical description . University of Verona, 2009
Gaetano Fiorin
Meaning and dyslexia: A study on pronouns, aspect, and quantification . Utrecht University/University of Verona, 2010 (co-tutored International Ph.D. Project: supervision with F. Wijnen)
Danilo Reggiani
Dyslexia and the acquisition of syntax: Passive and control . University of Verona, 2010
Maria Vender
Disentangling dyslexia: Phonological and processing impairment in developmental dyslexia . University of Verona, 2011
Ph.D. Thesis Supervision (current)
Jacopo Torregrossa
The syntax-semantics interface of the left-periphery (University of Verona, 2009-2011)
Luca Ducceschi
Proximal and obviative pronouns in some selected languages of India (co-tutored International Ph.D. Project: supervision with M. Everaert) (University of Verona/Utrecht University, 2009-2011)
Karin Martin
L2 acquisition in dyslexic subjects (University of Verona, 2010-2012)
Maria Scappini
Neurological correlates of the linguistic deficits in dyslexia (co-tutored International Ph.D. Project: supervision with F. Wijnen) (University of Verona/Utrecht University, 2011-2013)
Marta Castella
Patterns of cross-linguistic variation at the syntax-semantics interface (University of Verona, 2011-2013)
Ph.D. Examination
J. de Bruijn-van der Helm
Merce, moneta e monte: termini commerciali italiani attestati nei testi neerlandesi dei secoli XVI e XVII: un profilo storico-linguistico dell'influsso lessicale italiano sul neerlandese . Utrecht University, 1992
M. Haverkort
Clitics and parametrization . University of Tilburg, 1992
L. Kervajan
Contribution à la traduction automatique français / Langue des Signes Française (LSF) au moyen de personnages virtuels . University of Aix-en-Provence, 2011
A. Mlynarczyk
Aspectual pairing in Polish . Utrecht University, 2004
Emilie Voisin
Analyse syntaxique et formalisation d'énoncés en Langue des Signes Française . University of Bordeaux 3, 2008
Roberta Tedeschi
Acquisition at the interfaces: A case study on object clitics in Early Italian . Utrecht University, 2009
Michelangelo Falco
Deterministic mapping and dependencies: A syntax/semantics interface account of crossover and specificity . Pisa, Scuola Normale Superiore, 2010
Sona Haroutyunian
An analysis of Dante's tenses in the Armenian translations of the Divina Commedia . University of Venice, 2011
University Service
University of Verona:
2010 – present: Member of the board of the Doctoral School in Humanities
2009 – 2011: Vice-dean of the Faculty of Humanities
2005 – 2011: Vice-rector for International Relations
2004 – present: Member of the board and admission committee of the Ph.D. Program in Linguistics
March-June, 2011: Member of the committee appointed for the revision of the University Statute
May, 2007: Member of the national committee for the recruitment of an Assistant Professor in General Linguistics
University of Utrecht:
1990 – 2001: Member of the Institute of Romance Languages Board
1997 – 2000: Member of the Research Committee of the Utrecht Institute of Linguistics OTS (UiL OTS)
1997 – 2000: Head of the Research Group in Syntax and Semantics
Other universities:
June, 2010: Member of the national committee for the recruitment of a Full Professor in General Linguistics, University of Lecce
March, 2003: Member of the national panel for teaching and research evaluation at the Faculty of Humanities, University of Siena
Professional Service
Member of the Editorial Board: Linguistic Inquiry;Italian Journal of Linguistics; Lingue e Linguaggio
Reviewer, Journals: Linguistic Inquiry; Lingua; Probus; Italian Journal of Linguistics; Lingue e Linguaggio; Catalan Journal of Linguistics; Journal of Linguistics; Natural Language and Linguistic Theory
Reviewer, Other: MIT Press
Reviewer for Grant-giving Organizations: NWO (Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research), ANR (French National Research Agency), MIUR-PRIN (Italian Agency for Research Projects of National Interest)
Reviewer for International Conferences: Going Romance, NELS (Annual Meeting of the North East Linguistic Society), DIGS (Diachronic Generative Syntax), CSSP (Syntax and Semantics Conference in Paris), IGG (International Meeting of Generative Grammar - Italy), Colloquium on Generative Grammar (Spain)
Member of the Executive Board: Società di Linguistica Italiana (SLI)
Languages
Italian: native
English, French, Dutch: fluent
German, Portuguese, Spanish: good reading skills