30950 - French Language and Linguistics 1 (A)

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, students are expected to have acquired a fundamental knowledge of some fields of theorical thinking on the structures of French language and a basic mastery of the specific metalanguage of the discipline. They are expected to be competent in all communicative skills at B1 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

Course contents

The undergraduate courses in French language and linguistics aim to highlight the main characteristics of the French language in all its dimensions—phonetics, morphology, lexicology, and syntax—and to provide students with a set of methodological tools enabling them to use the language correctly.

Language Classes (Grammaire et textes + Oral)

The first year is organised around a single language course, consisting of six hours per week for each group, designed to prepare students for the written examination (Grammaire et textes) and for the oral language proficiency assessment (Oral). Students are required to attend the language classes throughout the entire academic year, during both the first and second semesters.

These classes are complemented by the main course, Linguistique française, taught by Professor Valeria Zotti, which takes place during the first semester only.

For the language classes, students are divided into three proficiency groups:

GROUP A – Beginners (Teacher: Anne Detraz)

GROUP B – Intermediate (Teacher: Giulia Delfini)

GROUP C – Advanced (Teacher: Daniel Caddoux)

Students wishing to attend the language classes for Lingua e Linguistica francese 1 are required to take a placement test consisting of 60 multiple-choice questions, to be completed within 90 minutes.

The PLACEMENT TEST will be held in September 2026, on a date yet to be confirmed. Detailed information and the registration form will be available at the beginning of September on the dedicated webpage.

Following the test, the allocation of students to the relevant proficiency groups will be published on the webpage of Professor Valeria Zotti, who is responsible for the course.

Please note: no minimum level of French is required in order to study French language and linguistics.

Important: the timetable for the language classes is available at the following link:
https://corsi.unibo.it/laurea/LingueLetteratureStraniere/orario-lezioni

A – Grammaire et textes (A. Detraz, G. Delfini, D. Caddoux)

The general learning objectives of Grammaire et textes are to provide and progressively deepen students’ knowledge of French language structures, from beginner and intermediate to advanced level, so that the language can be used correctly in a variety of communicative situations.

Each document studied in class, in addition to offering opportunities for reflection aimed at developing oral and written comprehension and production skills, enables students to examine progressively the morphosyntactic features of French and to strengthen their reasoned application of rules relating to syntax, spelling, and vocabulary.

During the classes, particular attention will be paid to aspects that are especially relevant to Italian-speaking learners, in some cases through a contrastive approach.

B – Oral (A. Detraz, G. Delfini, D. Caddoux)

Preparation for the Oral language proficiency assessment aims to provide students with the tools needed to achieve linguistic autonomy in the comprehension and production of spoken French, through the use of authentic or semi-authentic audiovisual and visual materials.

The classes are designed to improve listening comprehension through the recognition of new grammatical structures, semantic fields, and the main message conveyed by the multimedia materials presented.

Oral production is developed through debates and guided classroom discussions on topics related to the texts and/or audiovisual and visual materials studied.

The acquisition of these skills is accompanied by the assessment of students’ control, mastery, and ability to apply appropriately the rules of French syntax, phonetics, and vocabulary.

For further details, please refer to the webpages of the instructors: Daniel Caddoux, Giulia Delfini, and Anne Detraz.

C - Linguistique française - Cours officiel (Professor Valeria Zotti)

The main course introduces students to the foundations of French linguistics and its principal branches—phonetics and phonology, semantics, and lexicology—through reflection on the cultural specificities of the French linguistic landscape and the informed use of major electronic lexicographical resources.

The first part of the course presents the fundamental concepts of selected branches of linguistics, with particular emphasis on an in-depth study of French phonetics and phonology.

The reference text for the study of French pronunciation, also approached from a contrastive Italian-French perspective, is J. Podeur’s L’œil écoute. Méthode de prononciation du français (Liguori, 2005), available as an e-book on the publisher’s website.

The concepts examined in relation to French phonetics and spelling, word formation, and semantics will be applied to the study of general-language dictionaries—Le Petit Robert, the Dictionnaire de l’Académie française, and the Trésor de la Langue Française informatisé—and encyclopaedic dictionaries such as Le Petit Larousse.

These resources will be considered both as reflections of the development of the French language and culture and as a means of introducing discussion of the national and international role of French today.

The main course, taught by Professor Valeria Zotti, takes place during the first semester only.

For the main course, Linguistique française, students are divided into two groups:

GROUP A [advanced students]: classes taught in French, three two-hour sessions per week.

GROUP B [beginners and false beginners]: classes taught in Italian, three two-hour sessions per week.

Students with specific learning disabilities or temporary or permanent disabilities are advised to contact the relevant University office as soon as possible: https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/it

They should also contact the course instructor in order to identify together the most effective strategies for attending classes and/or preparing for the examination.

Any requests for examination accommodations must be submitted no later than 15 days before the examination date by emailing the instructor and copying:

• disabilita@unibo.it, in the case of disabilities;

• dsa@unibo.it, in the case of specific learning disabilities.

Readings/Bibliography

LANGUAGE CLASSES

Reference bibliography for all levels

BIDAUD Françoise, Grammaire française pour italophones, ed. UTET (+ BIDAUD Françoise, Exercices de grammaire française pour italophones, ed. UTET)

Absolute beginners are advised to acquire basic vocabulary independently through the online course “Première classe”, developed by TV5Monde in collaboration with the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles International, Université Paris 8 and Université Catholique de Louvain, starting from level A1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages:
https://apprendre.tv5monde.com/fr/exercices/premiere-classe

Recommended bibliography for beginner and intermediate levels

(one volume of the student’s choice)

PARODI Lidia, VALLACCO Marina, Grammathèque, ed. CIDEB (+ Grammathèque exercices + Corrigés, ed. CIDEB)

DE GENNARO Enrico, Grammaire par étapes, Torino, ed. Il Capitello.

Additional practice materials

Grammaire 350 exercices niveau moyen, coll. Exerçons-nous, éd. Hachette Education (+ Grammaire 350 exercices niveau moyen, Corrigés, coll. Exerçons-nous, éd. Hachette Education)

Conjugaison: 350 exercices, coll. Exerçons-nous, éd. Hachette Education (+ Conjugaison: 350 exercices, Corrigés, coll. Exerçons-nous, éd. Hachette Education)

Vocabulaire illustré, 350 exercices niveau débutant, coll. Exerçons-nous, éd. Hachette Education (+ Vocabulaire illustré, 350 exercices niveau débutant, Corrigés, coll. Exerçons-nous, éd. Hachette Education)

Vocabulaire illustré, 350 exercices niveau moyen, coll. Exerçons-nous, éd. Hachette Education (+ Vocabulaire illustré, 350 exercices niveau moyen, Corrigés, coll. Exerçons-nous, éd. Hachette Education)

MAIN COURSE (Professor Valeria Zotti)

J. Podeur, L'oeil écoute. Méthode de prononciation du français, Liguori, 2005 [e-book].

Les linguistes atterrés, Le français va très bien, merci, Paris, Gallimard, coll. "Tract", 2023, 64 pages. Tract des linguistes

V. Zotti, I dizionari in Francia e in Italia: due tradizioni a confronto al servizio dell'apprendimento linguistico, in: Lessicologia e lessicografia francese e inglese oggi, Fasano - Parigi, Schena - Alain Baudry et Cie, 2009, pp. 137-153.

Supplementary course materials will be made available on the VIRTUALE platform.

Teaching methods

Language courses

Tutorials will be held throughout the year and will be used to prepare for the partial exams and/or the final exam, which must be taken after the end of the lectures  (starting with the summer session - 1st session: May/June; 2nd session: August/September; 3rd session: January/February).

- Grammaire et textes for written preparation (D. Caddoux / G. Delfini / T. Manconi)

- Oral for oral preparation (D. Caddoux / G. Delfini / T. Manconi)

Official course

In addition to the language exercises, students will only have to take classes related to the OFFICIAL COURSE (Lecturer: Prof. Valeria ZOTTI for group A - advanced, and for group B - beginners and false beginners) in the 1st semester.

Assessment methods

To obtain the 9 ECTS credits for the course French Language and Linguistics 1, students must complete:

• one written Grammaire et textes examination, with one written examination date offered in each of the three examination periods;

• one Oral language proficiency assessment, with one oral examination date offered in each of the three examination periods;

• one written examination relating to the main course, with two examination dates offered in each examination period, for a total of six examination dates during the academic year.

Important: Each partial examination passed remains valid for four examination periods, including the period in which it was taken, corresponding to one calendar year. For example, if a student passes the written Grammaire et textes examination during the first May examination period, they must complete the remaining two components—the oral assessment and the main-course examination—and register the overall final grade by the May examination period of the following academic year. Otherwise, the partial examination must be retaken.

LANGUAGE CLASSES

A) Written assessment / Continuous assessment (contrôle continu)

• Written test 1/2: 1 hour 30 minutes, progressive grammar exercises, held in December.

• Written test 2/2: 1 hour 30 minutes, étude de texte, comprehension, and lexical and grammatical analysis, held in May.

During the continuous-assessment written tests, students may not use any printed or digital materials.

Students who do not obtain a passing grade of 18/30 in test 1/2 in December will not be allowed to sit test 2/2 in May and must instead take the first available official examination.

For the final continuous-assessment grade, calculated as the arithmetic mean of the marks obtained in tests 1/2 and 2/2, to be validated, students must obtain a minimum grade of 18/30 in test 2/2 in May.

Students who are not satisfied with their final continuous-assessment grade may reject it. In this case, they must take the first available official examination and permanently forfeit the continuous-assessment grade.

Final assessment — official examination

• Final written examination 1/1: 3 hours, étude de texte, comprehension, and lexical and grammatical analysis, graded out of 30. It may be taken during the official May examination period or during the following September or January examination periods. For further details on the assessment, please refer to the sample examination paper available on Virtuale.

During the final written examination, students may not use any printed or digital materials.

B) Oral assessment

After passing the written examination referred to in section A with a grade of 18/30 or above, students are admitted to the final oral examination.

The oral examination consists of the student’s analysis of a text or document studied during the classes.

The grade takes into account:

• the ability to understand and present the key points of audiovisual and visual documents, as well as texts read, observed, and analysed in class;

• the ability to communicate and argue clearly, while respecting the rules of French grammar and pronunciation, on the basis of what has been read, heard, and viewed;

• the ability to present, classify, comment on, and compare the information contained in the text or document, as well as to adopt a critical position.

MAIN COURSE

Linguistique française — Professor Valeria Zotti

The examination for the main course consists of a final written test containing both closed-ended and open-ended questions, graded out of 30.

Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes.

The examination assesses the skills and knowledge relating to the topics covered during the course. Please refer to the “Course Content” section.

Mid-course assessment

For the 2025/2026 academic year, one mid-course assessment is scheduled at the end of each course, for both Group A and Group B.

The written examinations for the main course will be held during the January/February 2026, May/June 2026, and September 2026 examination periods.

Important: A passed written examination remains valid for four examination periods, including the period in which it was taken, corresponding to one calendar year, and therefore until the January/February 2027 examination period.

Politica relativa all’uso dell’intelligenza artificiale

L’IA può essere uno strumento utile per coadiuvare lo studio individuale con approfondimenti, sintesi e percorsi di autovalutazione. Per quanto riguarda la verifica dell’apprendimento, durante l’esame in presenza l’uso dell’IA è vietato. Ogni utilizzo costituisce violazione dell’integrità accademica.

Teaching tools

Printed materials, audiovisual, Power Point, online resources.

Office hours

See the website of Valeria Zotti