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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