30082 - French Language (LM)

Learning outcomes

The student has an in-depth knowledge of linguistic and discursive aspects of the French language, from both a synchronic and diachronic perspective, including its applications to textual analysis and translation. Through practical exercises, his communicative competence in all skills, active and passive, progresses towards level C2 of the Common European Framework of Reference, which enables him to effectively interpret the socio-linguistic and cultural codes of the parties involved in a communicative relationship.

Course contents

1) MONOGRAPHIC COURSE (Eleonora Marzi)

The course aims at providing the theoretical, methodological and applicative tools to be able to read, interpret, translate interculturalism and the discursive practices related to it.

The student will acquire a methodological framework to be able to identify and analyse intercultural and multicultural content, and will learn to use digital tools for the management and extraction of such content (dictionaries, databases, etc).
The course will be structured in the following parts:

1. theoretical introduction on interculturalism and multiculturalism, brief historical background. Brief history of the French language, its diffusion, and the language policies implemented. The definitions of interculturalism and multiculturalism and the main corresponding policy models within the French-speaking world will be addressed.
2. In-depth study of the concept of linguistic implicit. Methodological framework on presupposition and implicature. In particular, the P. Grice and O. Ducrot approaches.
3. Idiomatic expressions, realia, culturemi. The translation of intercultural expressions, and strategies to represent the Other.
4. Examples of language policies: UNESCO intercultural lexicon
5. applied training: learning to use language reference tools (dictionaries and databases)
   

 

LCIS ESERCITAZIONI (Michèle Cohen)
The course provides to:

1) to make students aware of the reality of multiculturalism through the study and analysis of a series of documents designed to encourage reflection on today's multi-ethnic society.

2) to activate paths inherent to the teaching of the language, to encourage the student's initiatives and direct participation and to enhance their knowledge and language skills through a series of interactive exercises.

Training objectives: To teach the student the different ways of exploiting an audiovisual document (films, documentaries.) for teaching purposes.

Readings/Bibliography

1) MONOGRAPHIC COURSE (Eleonora Marzi)

Slides shown during the course + excerpts from the following texts which will be available on Virtuale:

Oswald Ducrot, Tzvetan Todorov, Dictionnaire encyclopédique des sciences du langage, Paris : Seuil, 1972 ;

Oswald Ducrot, Dire et ne pas dire : principes de sémantique linguistique, Paris : Hermann, 1972 ;

Scott F. Kiesling, Christina Bratt Paulston (eds.), Intercultural discourse and communication : The essential readings, Maiden : Blackwell, 2005;

Paul Grice, Logique et Conversation, Communication, 1979 [pp. 57-72];

Josiane Podeur, La pratica della traduzione : dal francese in italiano e dall'italiano in francese / - 2. ed
Napoli : Liguori, 2002 [pp. 13-31]

AA. VV. Competences interculturelles – UNESCO (https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000219768_fre) [pp. 10-23]

LCIS ESERCITAZIONI (Michèle Cohen)

Note for attending students: No bibliography is given as attendance at lectures is sufficient for the acquisition of a working methodology and in-depth lexical, grammatical and thematic study.

Non-attending students must meet the teacher.

Recommended bibliography for non-attending students:

Virginie Gaugey, Hugues Sheeren, le francais dans le mouv’, Editions Le Lettere Università.

 

Teaching methods

1) MONOGRAPHIC COURSE (Eleonora Marzi)

Lectures, debate, oral exposé, practical exercises using databases and dictionaries.

2) Esercitazioni LCIS (Michèle Cohen)

• Acquisition of a methodology of analysis from a filmic document.
• Expansion of grammatical fields.
• Expansion of lexical fields.
• Awareness-raising and reflection on the subject of multiculturalism.
• Awareness-raising in language didactics.
• Production of film analyses.
• Development of exercises, conception and realisation of activities, involvement of the group for active participation of all.
• Evaluation of the correct achievement of the set objectives. Identification of the weak points of each student's work and analysis of the causes.

Assessment methods

The course is divided into two parts and the final grade will result from a weighted average of the results in thirtieths of the "Exercises" part (1/3 of the grade) and the monographic part (2/3 of the grade).

Please note: validity of partial examinations: 4 sessions including the first, the one in which the test was taken.

To be admitted to the Monograph Course oral examination, you must have passed the reader's examination and the Monograph Course paper. A partial mark cannot be refused, only the average of the final marks.

MONOGRAPHIC COURSE (Eleonora Marzi)

WRITTEN PART (for frequent and non-frequent participants).

The written part will take place in presence and it will last three  hours. The test will cover all the theoretical aspects covered during the course, analysis and comprehension of the text and critical knowledge (from the critical readings provided during the course).

ORAL PART (for frequent and non-frequent attendees). Students will prepare an exposé in French based on the topics covered, analysing an example of communication of their choice from both a theoretical and practical point of view.

• The exposé must offer an original reading of the texts and demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of the theoretical tools through a clear exposition of the objectives and methodology used.
• The oral examination will consist of an interview in French based on the topic dealt with in the thesis (to be handed in): the student will be asked to present his work in 10 to 15 minutes, then to answer questions on theoretical or linguistic topics relating to the texts dealt with.

2) LCIS exercises (Michèle Cohen)
The examination will propose two types of exercises for a more comprehensive assessment of the different skills acquired.

1) A film analysis based on an extract taken from an audiovisual document (film or documentary) studied during the year.

2) A production of teaching material:

a) Elaboration of grammar exercises
b) Elaboration of lexical or interactive exercises from the document provided.

Teaching tools

extensive dictionaries: TLFi (http://atilf.atilf.fr/)

neologism monitoring portal: FRANCETERME http://www.culture.fr/franceterme

EU terminology database: IATE (https://iate.europa.eu/)

ppt presentations, reading from selected texts

Office hours

See the website of Eleonora Marzi