Ateneo - UPO

“non conventional” French language

N. Amstrong, "Social and Stylistic variation in Spoken French", Amsterdam, Benjamins, 2001.

A. Lodge, "A sociolinguistic History of Parisian French", Cambridge University Press, 2004.

The course aims to strengthen linguistic competence (from B2 to C1 level) and metalinguistic awareness with a particular focus on the concept of linguistic variation, especially diastratic and generational variation, through the analysis of various corpora. The course also aims to develop a greater awareness of linguistic variation in its sociolinguistic implications, as well as a good critical ability in addressing the concept of internal plurilingualism applied to the French language.
The specific objectives are as follows:

• Knowledge and Understanding (measurable through ongoing exercises and the final written exam)
1. Understand and comprehend the concept of linguistic variation and be able to analyze it in various communication situations.
2. Understand and comprehend the morphosyntactic and lexical phenomena related to informal register in contemporary French language.
3. Be aware of the mechanisms involved in the creation of lexical and semantic neologisms.
4. Understand the nuances and motivations of contemporary colloquial French in its multiple variations.
5. Reflect on the concept of polysemy in the context of diastratic variation.
• Ability to apply knowledge and understanding (measurable through ongoing exercises and the final written exam)
1. Identify and analyze linguistic registers in texts or various types of media (written and oral: comic strips, novels, songs, film scripts, advertising 2. slogans, spontaneous dialogues).
3. Identify and categorize the analyzed linguistic phenomena in corpora of various types.
4. Provide definitions of these phenomena and offer relevant examples.
• Expression of judgments (measurable through ongoing exercises and the final oral exam)
1. Be able to compare manifestations of diastratic variation in French and Italian.
2. Draw personal conclusions about contemporary colloquial French and its motivations.
• Communication skills (measurable through ongoing exercises, the written exam, and the final oral exam)
1. Use acquired terminology appropriately to describe the phenomena being analyzed.
2. Present linguistics and sociolinguistics phenomena analyzed during the course in a critical and concise way.
• Study skills (evaluated at all stages of learning assessment)
1. Read and benefit from the non-fiction texts presented during the course.
2. Use DIR (Documentazione, Informazione, Ricerca) autonomously and consistently.
3. Complete the weekly application exercises.
4. Conduct the mandatory research for the oral exam (independently carry out the analysis of a written corpus consisting of an issue of the weekly magazine "l'Obs" using the theoretical tools acquired during the course) and submit it to the teacher prior to the oral exam.

For students enrolled in the Modern Foreign Languages degree programme: passing the integrated examination of French Language II (level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
For students from other courses of study: level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

Seminars with audio-visual aids. Activation of DIR.

The DIR service will provide detailed programs, instructions for the obligatory work, examples of written tests, and exercise sheets.

The written test consists of a 90-point test (each question corresponds to one third of a point, the mark is expressed in thirtieths). Duration of the test: 3 hours. It consists of closed questions relating to morphosyntax and colloquial register vocabulary. One third of the test involves the analysis of significant occurrences to be found in various corpora analysed during the course. It is necessary to achieve at least 18/30 in order to pass the written test and enter the oral test. The outcome of the written test will be communicated via the "Esse3 - Computer Services" IT platform. The written test enables the following objectives to be checked: knowledge and understanding: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; ability to apply knowledge and understanding: 1, 2, 3.
The oral test covers the critical reading of chapters 2, 3 and 6 of H. Walter's essay "Le français dans tous les sens" (see bibliography), as well as theoretical introductions to the phenomena covered during the course. The oral test allows the following objectives to be checked: knowledge and comprehension: 4; expression of judgement: 1, 2; communication skills: 1, 2; study skills: 1, 4. An individual examination will be assigned during the course (a copy of a French weekly magazine, different for each student and provided by the lecturer) to be handed in at least 5 days before the oral test and on which clarification may be requested during the examination. The mark for the oral test is expressed in thirtieths.
The oral examination will be graded as follows: 18 to 21 for a paper demonstrating sufficient achievement of the identified objectives; 22 to 25 for a paper demonstrating fair achievement of the identified objectives; 26 to 28 for a paper demonstrating good achievement of the identified objectives; 29 to 30 for a paper demonstrating excellent achievement of the identified objectives; and 30 cum laude will reward excellent competence in all identified areas.
The final examination mark is the average of the written and oral examination. Detailed information regarding the mode of testing as well as examples of written tests and corrections will be available on DIR. Notification of assessments: the final mark, the result of the sum of the written test and the oral test, will be notified via the "Esse3 - IT Services" IT platform. The final grade for French Linguistics A, for students enrolled in the three-year degree programme in Modern Foreign Languages, constitutes the partial grade for the integrated examination in French Language III.

The course aims to illustrate the various manifestations of so-called 'non conventionnel' French by comparing the models imposed by the norm and the multiplicity of linguistic realisations in metropolitan France, at morphosyntactic, phonological and especially lexical levels. After an introduction to linguistic variations, the following phenomena will be presented: truncation (apocope, apheresis), acronyms and acronyms, the argot (both diachronic and synchronic perspective), 'branché' French; the juvenile language of the banlieues (FCC, verlan, veul), the discussed 'franglais'. These topics will all be cues for an immediate application of the knowledge and methodology acquired by the learner, who will be assigned the perusal of a corpus found in today's French press (e.g. the current affairs weekly l'Obs) and in the texts of contemporary singers (Stromaé, Grand corps malade, Bigflo & Oli, etc.). The theoretical course is flanked by the illustration of the phenomena examined through the perusal of corpora of various kinds (excerpts from novels and comics, songs, extracts from a contemporary French film).

Knowledge and understanding: Understand the concept of linguistic variation and be able to analyze it in various communication situations. Understand the morphosyntactic and lexical phenomena related to informal register in contemporary French language. Reflect on the phenomenon of lexical and semantic neologisms (measurable in both the oral and written exams). Have a clear understanding of contemporary colloquial French in its multiple variations (at the end of the course, after successfully completing the final evaluation).
• Ability to apply knowledge and understanding: Identify different linguistic registers; identify and categorize the analyzed linguistic phenomena in an oral or written corpus; provide definitions of these phenomena and offer relevant examples (measurable in both the oral and written exams).
• Expression of judgments: Compare diastratic variation in French and Italian. Draw personal conclusions about contemporary colloquial French (measurable in the oral exam). • Communication skills: Use acquired terminology appropriately to describe the phenomena being analyzed (measurable in both the oral and written exams). Present a brief summary of the sociolinguistic phenomena analyzed during the course (measurable in the oral exam).
• Study skills: Read theoretical texts effectively (see bibliography). Use DIR (Documentation, Information, Research) autonomously and consistently. Complete the assigned application exercises each week, as well as the mandatory research for the oral exam (independently analyze a written corpus consisting of a contemporary magazine such as "l'Obs," using the theoretical tools acquired during the course). Measurable skills throughout the course, in individual exercises, as well as in the written and final oral exams.