Text Box: Dr Sophie Marnette, Balliol College
Sophie.marnette@balliol.ox.ac.uk

 

 

Paper V:

Linguistic Studies II : Modern French

 

1. Course Content

You will study the structure and varieties of the modern French language, and learn to exploit and assess the usefulness of traditional and modern methods of linguistic analysis for this purpose. You will also become familiar with some of the most important developments in the history of French, when these illuminate modern usage. Except for the introductory reading (see below), there are no set texts, although for various topics there are a number of important studies about which tutors will advise you. You will learn how to analyse spoken and written French in terms of its sound system (phonetics and phonology), its spelling, its word structure (morphology), and its syntax. You will also have the opportunity to consider the nature and causes of social variation in French speaking communities, the way discourse is structured in French, the effect on French of other languages, and the relationship between linguistic analysis and literary studies.

2. Teaching

For linguistic topics, as for literature, you can expect to have a mix of lectures and (usually eight) tutorials. The lectures are vital in this area, as the basic knowledge to be absorbed is much more easily acquired from lecturers than from books. For all the tutorials you will have to produce written work, as for literary topics. This may sometimes involve practical analysis as well as essays. If you choose to go into phonetics in depth, you will also normally be offered additional classes in phonetic transcription.

3. Examination

The examination consists of one paper, in which you have to answer three questions. The majority of these involve writing an essay. However, there are normally also questions demanding more practical skills including phonetic transcription and stylistic analysis.

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