Course Description
The syntax of modern French through readings in descriptive analysis and examples of literary texts to see how word order contributes to meaning. Particular emphasis on levels of style and reflections of social class. Frequent compositions required. Given in French.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
The course requirements for graduate students are: class
participation, a bi-weekly journal, two in-class tests, one
in-class presentation, a final exam, and a final paper. The
requirements of the final paper will be more rigorous for
graduate students who will be expected to complete a 20-page
research paper on a topic of their choice in the area of French
syntax. Graduate students will also be required to present a
second in-class presentation on the topic of their research
paper.
Athena Title
French Syntax and Meaning
Prerequisite
FREN(LING) 3090
Semester Course Offered
Not offered on a regular basis.
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
By the end of the course students will be able to conduct a syntactic analysis in French of the different phenomena studied in the class. This analysis will consist of identifying different syntactic features in spoken and written French and their functions and of discussing the possible variants of a phenomenon and the differences in use and meaning among these variants. It is possible to measure the degree to which students are able to identify syntactic structures in French and their functions and the degree to which they are able to discuss the differences in meaning and use among different variants of a given phenomenon.
Topical Outline
Week 1: Descriptive vs. prescriptive approach to language Generativist vs. variationist approaches to linguistic analysis Different branches of linguistics The concepts langue and parole, and acceptability and grammaticality Week 2: Types of sentences and their basic components Structure of negative sentences and variable deletion of ne Week 3: The noun phrase: structure and functions Nouns and determiners Week 4: Adjectives: function and placement Pronouns and pronominalisation Week 5: Presentative structures for noun phrases (e.g., c’est mon ami qui ... ) and their use Question formation: classification of different structures Week 6: Variation in the form of questions First test Week 7: The verb phrase: structure and functions Verb phrases of more than one verb Week 8: Verbs and complements Mode: subjunctive vs. indicative and variable use of modes Week 9: The function of verb tenses: Overview The function of verb tenses: passé composé vs. imparfait Week 10: Pronominal and unipersonal verbs Transformation from active to passive sentences and its constraints Week 11: Verbal modifiers Week 12: Dislocation: identification and variable use Week 13: Subordination: classification of subordinate clauses Week 14: Review for final exam Test 2 Week 15: Presentation of final papers
Syllabus