Advanced French Linguistics
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
The course aims to offer the French student an in-depth knowledge of the functioning of the French language system in the different communicative situations in which it is used, allowing him/her to discover the specificities of the different varieties in use outside France and to develop a capacity for critical reflection on the language.
Expected learning outcomes
Knowledge: widening of the sociolinguistic knowledge needed to reflect on the functioning of standard and non-standard French, in the different social and geographical spaces; deepening of the notions of norm and variation.
Skills: acquisition of greater familiarity with the authentic uses of French; ability to reflect on the social functions of French in the different language communities in which it is used; development of the metalinguistic reflection capacity; extension of metalanguage.
Skills: acquisition of greater familiarity with the authentic uses of French; ability to reflect on the social functions of French in the different language communities in which it is used; development of the metalinguistic reflection capacity; extension of metalanguage.
Lesson period: Second semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
Second semester
Course syllabus
This course, entitled 'Dynamiques linguistiques du français contemporain', aims to describe the characteristics of contemporary French in the diversity of communicative situations and social contexts in France and in certain French-speaking areas. It is divided into three parts:
A: Introduction to linguistic variation
B: Geographical variation
C: Spontaneous Oral French
During the first part, after the introduction of the basics that are needed to approach the subject, reflection will begin on the various factors that determine linguistic variation. By listening to authentic conversations and analysing them from spelling transcripts, the characteristics of some varieties linked to contextual and social factors will be observed; we will focus in particular on certain variables, such as the pronunciation of silent E, the use of liaison, the structuring of oral discourse, and lexical uses. The second part will be focused on the study of geographic variation, in France and in some French-speaking areas, through listening to and analysing oral conversations that will provide concrete examples of phonetic, morphositactic and lexical peculiarities linked to a regional factor. The third part includes a reflection on spontaneous oral: students will learn to recognise the characteristics of authentic uses of spoken French and to discover some databases that collect corpora of oral French. They will reinvest the acquired skills by transcribing and/or analysing short extracts from audio documents.
A: Introduction to linguistic variation
B: Geographical variation
C: Spontaneous Oral French
During the first part, after the introduction of the basics that are needed to approach the subject, reflection will begin on the various factors that determine linguistic variation. By listening to authentic conversations and analysing them from spelling transcripts, the characteristics of some varieties linked to contextual and social factors will be observed; we will focus in particular on certain variables, such as the pronunciation of silent E, the use of liaison, the structuring of oral discourse, and lexical uses. The second part will be focused on the study of geographic variation, in France and in some French-speaking areas, through listening to and analysing oral conversations that will provide concrete examples of phonetic, morphositactic and lexical peculiarities linked to a regional factor. The third part includes a reflection on spontaneous oral: students will learn to recognise the characteristics of authentic uses of spoken French and to discover some databases that collect corpora of oral French. They will reinvest the acquired skills by transcribing and/or analysing short extracts from audio documents.
Prerequisites for admission
Lessons will be taught entirely in French. Textbooks and activities in class or for self study assume that students already have a linguistic competence of level B2.
Teaching methods
The course adopts the following teaching methods: face-to-face lessons, practical activities.
Teaching Resources
REFERENCE MATERIALS FOR PARTS A-B
a) for attending and non attending students
- S. Detey et al., Les variétés du français parlé dans l'espace francophone. Ressources pour l'enseignement, Paris, Ophrys, 2010 (disponibile in biblioteca)
- Abeille' et al., "La liaison, l'élision et le e caduc", in La grande grammaire du français, Arles, Actes Sud, 2021, t. 2, pp. 2106-2125.
- Thomas Krefeld, "L'immédiat, la proximité et la distance communicative", in Manuel de linguistique française, Berlin, München, Boston: De Gruyter, 2015, pp. 262-274. (accessibile online tramite il catalogo della biblioteca Unimi)
- C. Brancaglion et P. Puccini, "La francophonie", in Le français de nos jours, Roma, Carocci, 2023, pp. 183-214
- Documenti audio e trascrizioni tratti dal corpus Phonologie du français contemporain, https://www.projet-pfc.net/
b) additional studies for non-attending students
- Bernard Pöll, « Normes endogènes, variétés de prestige et pluralité normative », in AA.VV., Manuel des francophonies, Walter de Gruyter, 2017, pp. 65-86
- AA.VV., « Le français en Europe - Pays limitrophes », in AA.VV., Manuel des francophonies, Walter de Gruyter, 2017, pp. 180-273
- AA.VV., « Le français en Amérique », in AA.VV., Manuel des francophonies, Walter de Gruyter, 2017, pp. 277-375
- Sabine Diao-Klaeger, "Le français dans le monde : Afrique", in Manuel de linguistique française, Berlin, München, Boston: De Gruyter, 2015, pp. 505-524 (accessibile online tramite il catalogo della biblioteca Unimi)
- "Le français expliqué", Phonologie du français contemporain, https://www.projet-pfc.net/le-projet-pfc-ef/le-francais-explique/
REFERENCE MATERIALS FOR PART C
a) for attending students
- Claire Blanche-Benveniste, « La langue parlée », in Marina Yaguello (dir.), Le grand livre de la langue française, Paris, Seuil, 2003, pp. 317-344. (disponibile in biblioteca)
- FLORALE - français langue orale pour le FLE, https://florale.unil.ch/index.php?page=infos
- Estratti da corpora di francese orale disponibili online
b) for non attending students:
- Claire Blanche-Benveniste, « La langue parlée », in Marina Yaguello (dir.), Le grand livre de la langue française, Paris, Seuil, 2003, pp. 317-344. (disponibile in biblioteca)
- N. Rossi-Gensane, "Oralité, syntaxe et discours", in S. Detey et al., Les variétés du français parlé dans l'espace francophone. Ressources pour l'enseignement, Paris, Ophrys, 2010, pp. 83-106. (disponibile in biblioteca)
- Claire Blanche-Benveniste, Mireille Bilger, "Français parlé - oral spontané. Quelques réflexions", Revue française de linguistique appliquée, 1999/2 (Vol. IV), pp. 21-30, https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.cairn.info/revue-francaise-de-linguistique-appliquee-1999-2-page-21.htm%3Fref%3Ddoi&ved=2ahUKEwi6kdS_wcSGAxVXR_EDHR8EEyAQFnoECBQQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3nSHY_sFePFyWRgMfMLv8H
- Isabelle Chollet, Jean-Michel Robert, Le français parlé, Paris, ellipses, 2017. (eserciziario con attività che saranno commentate durante l'esame)
a) for attending and non attending students
- S. Detey et al., Les variétés du français parlé dans l'espace francophone. Ressources pour l'enseignement, Paris, Ophrys, 2010 (disponibile in biblioteca)
- Abeille' et al., "La liaison, l'élision et le e caduc", in La grande grammaire du français, Arles, Actes Sud, 2021, t. 2, pp. 2106-2125.
- Thomas Krefeld, "L'immédiat, la proximité et la distance communicative", in Manuel de linguistique française, Berlin, München, Boston: De Gruyter, 2015, pp. 262-274. (accessibile online tramite il catalogo della biblioteca Unimi)
- C. Brancaglion et P. Puccini, "La francophonie", in Le français de nos jours, Roma, Carocci, 2023, pp. 183-214
- Documenti audio e trascrizioni tratti dal corpus Phonologie du français contemporain, https://www.projet-pfc.net/
b) additional studies for non-attending students
- Bernard Pöll, « Normes endogènes, variétés de prestige et pluralité normative », in AA.VV., Manuel des francophonies, Walter de Gruyter, 2017, pp. 65-86
- AA.VV., « Le français en Europe - Pays limitrophes », in AA.VV., Manuel des francophonies, Walter de Gruyter, 2017, pp. 180-273
- AA.VV., « Le français en Amérique », in AA.VV., Manuel des francophonies, Walter de Gruyter, 2017, pp. 277-375
- Sabine Diao-Klaeger, "Le français dans le monde : Afrique", in Manuel de linguistique française, Berlin, München, Boston: De Gruyter, 2015, pp. 505-524 (accessibile online tramite il catalogo della biblioteca Unimi)
- "Le français expliqué", Phonologie du français contemporain, https://www.projet-pfc.net/le-projet-pfc-ef/le-francais-explique/
REFERENCE MATERIALS FOR PART C
a) for attending students
- Claire Blanche-Benveniste, « La langue parlée », in Marina Yaguello (dir.), Le grand livre de la langue française, Paris, Seuil, 2003, pp. 317-344. (disponibile in biblioteca)
- FLORALE - français langue orale pour le FLE, https://florale.unil.ch/index.php?page=infos
- Estratti da corpora di francese orale disponibili online
b) for non attending students:
- Claire Blanche-Benveniste, « La langue parlée », in Marina Yaguello (dir.), Le grand livre de la langue française, Paris, Seuil, 2003, pp. 317-344. (disponibile in biblioteca)
- N. Rossi-Gensane, "Oralité, syntaxe et discours", in S. Detey et al., Les variétés du français parlé dans l'espace francophone. Ressources pour l'enseignement, Paris, Ophrys, 2010, pp. 83-106. (disponibile in biblioteca)
- Claire Blanche-Benveniste, Mireille Bilger, "Français parlé - oral spontané. Quelques réflexions", Revue française de linguistique appliquée, 1999/2 (Vol. IV), pp. 21-30, https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.cairn.info/revue-francaise-de-linguistique-appliquee-1999-2-page-21.htm%3Fref%3Ddoi&ved=2ahUKEwi6kdS_wcSGAxVXR_EDHR8EEyAQFnoECBQQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3nSHY_sFePFyWRgMfMLv8H
- Isabelle Chollet, Jean-Michel Robert, Le français parlé, Paris, ellipses, 2017. (eserciziario con attività che saranno commentate durante l'esame)
Assessment methods and Criteria
The exam is evaluated on the basis of an oral examination consisting of an interview in French on the topics covered in the programme, aimed at verifying the knowledge of the contents proposed and the ability to reflect on the phenomena studied, also through the analysis of the documents proposed during the lessons and made available on teaching platforms. Part C (attending students) is evaluated also by a practical task of transcribing an oral document and analysing the typical aspects of spontaneous speech that are attested in it. The transcription will be discussed during the oral examination. Non-attending students will comment on the activities in the bibliography exercise book.
The examination must be completed by September 2025.
INTERNATIONAL students or incoming ERASMUS students are invited to quickly contact the teacher. The examination procedures for students with disabilities and/or DSA must be agreed with the teacher, in accordance with the responsible Office.
The examination must be completed by September 2025.
INTERNATIONAL students or incoming ERASMUS students are invited to quickly contact the teacher. The examination procedures for students with disabilities and/or DSA must be agreed with the teacher, in accordance with the responsible Office.
Unita' didattica A
L-LIN/04 - LANGUAGE AND TRANSLATION - FRENCH - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica B
L-LIN/04 - LANGUAGE AND TRANSLATION - FRENCH - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Unita' didattica C
L-LIN/04 - LANGUAGE AND TRANSLATION - FRENCH - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Professor(s)
Reception:
Piazza S. Alessandro, 1 - sezione di francesistica