New study programs require new textbooks, and this introduction to Italian linguistics is intended as a textbook for the BA generation. The author provides a clear and knowledgeable introduction to the essential foundations of the subject. The volume is divided into four overarching thematic blocks and 14 courses that address all significant aspects of language in general and Italian in particular. The top-down structure (from text to phoneme), systematically used for the first time in a textbook, is particularly suitable for bachelor's programs and has been positively evaluated in courses twice. The exercises accompanying each unit serve to reinforce the acquired knowledge while also introducing techniques for academic work. Content includes: Unit 1: What is language? · Unit 2: Ling.