FR 4314 - Advanced French Grammar and Composition Spring 2010 Instructor : Christopher Stewart E-mail : cmstewar@uta.edu Classroom : Trimble Hall 219, MWF 9:00-9:50 Office Hours : Description This course focuses on advanced topics in French grammar and composition, including elements of syntax, morphology, semantics and stylistics. Towards the end of the class, we will briefly examine highlights in the historical development of the French language, treating mainly the influence of other languages and cultures. This class will involve intense composition practice with the aim of maximizing student progress in written expression in the French language. Content FR 4314 will consist of a study of French grammar contextualized in shorter and longer compositions, reinforced by a self-guided review of selected points of French grammar. The class will begin by focusing on how to read critically and take notes, then moving on to a study of how to synthesize notes in the form of a summary. We will then look at how to expand the written summary into a informational text. Next, the class will introduce the idea of personalizing the informational text. From this point, we will move towards the study of literary composition, focusing on writing about prose. The class will end by focusing on persuasive writing before undertaking a brief survey of the history of the French language. Required Texts 1. Loriot-Raymer, G., Vialet, M., Muyskens, J. (1996). À vous d écrire. Boston: McGraw- Hill. 2. Online subscription to a French-language periodical published at least on a weekly basis
Requirements / Evaluation Participation Class will be held on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays from 9:00-9:50. Students will need to have read the material assigned before each meeting as class periods will be devoted to working with the readings. Student participation in class sessions will be evaluated at the end of the semester and figure into overall evaluations. Only French is to be used in the classroom. Extra Credit: Weekly Writing Final grades may be positively affected through the completion of a weekly writing exercise. The goal of this assignment is to significantly improve composition skills through copious amounts of guided practice. At the beginning of the semester, students will be required to subscribe to at least one French language weekly publication (see Required Texts). Each week, students will be asked to locate a particular type of text in the weekly publication and write a one paragraph summary of the text accompanied by a one paragraph reaction. After the first weekly writing assignment has been turned in, I will request a meeting with each student to go over his or her writing to make sure that the expectations of the assignment are understood. At the end of the semester, all weekly writing grades will be averaged and this average will be applied to 33.33% of students homework grade (10% of total grade). Students must turn in a minimum of FIVE such assignments to receive this credit. More detail on these assignments will be given out at the beginning of the semester. Examinations Throughout the course of the semester, students will take three exams. All exams will be cumulative, though the bulk of the material tested will be from the chapters covered. A portion of the class meeting preceding the examinations will be dedicated to a review of potential exam topics. More information on the exams will be distributed closer to the exam's date. A Note on Writing Well Writing well can be difficult, particularly in a second language. This class aims to give you the theoretical background and the practice necessary to become skilled in composing a wide variety of texts in French. Hard work will be required. Assignments are short so that you will focus on the quality of your writing. For this reason, you will be held to a high standard and grading will be very stringent. ONE DRAFT OF ANY WRITTEN WORK WILL NOT BE ENOUGH. In addition to posted office hours, I will try to always be available to work with any student on any composition. Final Grades Student evaluations for final grade will be computed using the following percentages: Examens 30% Rédactions 30% Devoirs 30% Participation 10%
Programme des cours hebdomadaire Veuillez noter que ce programme sera modifié au cours du semestre selon besoin. Semaine 1 L (18) Dispensation du cours M (20) Introduction au cours, Chapitre préliminaire V (22) Chapitre 1 (Lecture : Introduction et Prélude) emaine 2 L (25) Chapitre 1 (Stratégies et modèles 1) M (27) Chapitre 1 (Stratégies et modèles 2) DEVOIR GRAMMATICAL : la voix active / passive V (29) Chapitre 1 (À vous d écrire) Semaine 3 L (1) Chapitre 2 (page 45, pages 49-55) M (3) Chapitre 2 (pages 56-61) DEVOIR GRAMMATICAL : la forme pronominale V (5) Chapitre 2 (pages 62-64, page 65 ; préparation du résumé) Semaine 4 L (8) Chapitre 2 (RÉDACTION : RÉSUMÉ) M (10) Chapitre 3 (pages 68-71, pages 71-74) DÉBUT DE PRÉPARATION DU TEXTE FINAL d après pages 71-74 V (12) Chapitre 3 (page 76 jusqu à «EXEMPLE», lecture supplémentaire de plusieurs textes d information) Semaine 5 L (15) Chapitre 3 (pages 81-84 ; préparation d un texte d information) M (17) Lecture d un article du journal DEVOIR GRAMMATICAL : le participe présent et composé V (19) Chapitre 3 (RÉDACTION : TEXTE D INFORMATION) Semaine 6 L (22) Révision grammaticale M (24) Révision générale V (26) EXAMEN #1 Semaine 7 L (1) Chapitre 6 (pages 131-133, préparation de pages 131-133- «Préludes» A, B & C) M (3) Chapitre 6 (pages 133-137, préparation de page 138- «Analyse» A, B, C & D) DEVOIR GRAMMATICAL : les temps du passé
V (5) Chapitre 6 (pages 139-143, préparation de page 144- «Analyse» A, B, C & D) Semaine 8 L (8) Chapitre 6 (pages 146-149, préparation de page 151- «Mise en application» A) DEVOIR GRAMMATICAL : les temps du passé M (10) Chapitre 6 (pages 152-155, EC : RÉCIT PERSONNEL) V (12) Introduction à l analyse d un récit littéraire en prose Semaine 9 L (15) DISPENSATION DU COURS M (17) DISPENSATION DU COURS V (19) DISPENSATION DU COURS Semaine 10 L (22) Récit littéraire en prose (1) M (24) Récit littéraire en prose (2) DÉBUT DE PRÉPARATION DU DEVOIR FINAL V (26) Récit littéraire en prose (3) Semaine 11 L (29) Récit littéraire en prose (4) DÉBUT DE DISCUSSION DES HYPOTHÈSES POSSIBLES M (31) Récit littéraire en prose (5, préparation d un argument provisoire) V (2) Récit littéraire en prose (FIN, premier brouillon du devoir / corrections réciproques) Semaine 12 L (5) Révision M (7) Examen #2 V (9) Introduction à l argumentation Semaine 13 L (12) Chapitre 9 (pages 204-205, préparation de page 205- «Préludes» A) DEVOIR GRAMMATICAL : les propositions relatives / les subordonnés circonstanciels M (14) Chapitre 9 (préparation du devoir final à l aide des pages 207-210) DEVOIR GRAMMATICAL : le subjonctif V (16) Chapitre 9 (pages 210-212, préparation de page 212- «Analyse» A, B, C & D) Semaine 14 L (19) Chapitre 9 (révision du devoir final à l aide des pages 213-217) M (21) Chapitre 9 (pages 218-221, préparation de page 223- «Mise en application» A)
V (23) Chapitre 9 (préparation finale du devoir, pages 224-225, corrections réciproques en cours) Semaine 15 L (26) Introduction à l histoire de la langue française M (28) Histoire de la langue française : l ancien français (http://www.tlfq.ulaval.ca/axl/francophonie/hist_fr_s3_ancien-francais.htm) V (30) Histoire de la langue française : le français classique (http://www.tlfq.ulaval.ca/axl/francophonie/hist_fr_s6_grand-siecle.htm) Semaine 16 L (3) Histoire de la langue française : le français contemporain (http://www.tlfq.ulaval.ca/axl/francophonie/hist_fr_s9_fr-contemporain.htm) M (5) Révision V (7) Révision finale / Évaluations