The course presents the theory that human communication through languages consists largely in the activity of narration, that is, in narrative communication. Studying the language, studying literature, studying the figurative and plastic arts means first of all dealing with narratives. To illustrate the "narrative" as a basic modality of human expressive activity, some critical tools will be introduced:
- the typology of languages (verbal, visual) and their semiotic characteristics;
- the notion of "use" of language, developed in the twentieth century by pragmatic theories (John L. Austin, Herbert P. Grice, J. Searle) and by the theories of enunciation (É. Benveniste, A. Culioli);
- the distinction between "everyday language" (or ordinary) and "descriptive / informative language" (or special)
- the cognitive theories of the "narrative mind".
As a second step, the enunciative, semantic and argumentative indicators of the narrative will be presented (in verbal and visual languages), which allow to distinguish, even empirically, narrative texts from descriptive / informative texts.

1) R. PETRILLI, L’interazione simbolica. Introduzione allo studio della comunicazione. Nuova Edizione rivista e aumentata, Perugia, Guerra 2018. (attenzione: l’edizione 2002 non può essere utilizzata)
2) F. FERRETTI, L’istinto persuasivo. Come e perché gli umani hanno iniziato a raccontare storie, Roma, Carocci 2022.
3) F. ORLETTI, La conversazione diseguale. Potere e interazione, Roma, Carocci, 2010.