French

This course is designed to improve integrate French-language skills but also to expand cultural knowledge of the French-speaking world. It aims to prepare students for the Diplôme d'Etudes en Langue Française (DELF) exam, to train their French-Japanese translation skills and to provide them with the opportunity to understand the French society.

The course provides the following opportunities:

• Acquire listening skills of B1 level (CECR);
• Develop speaking skills and be able to discuss in French;
• Acquire reading skills of B1 level;
• Have a deeper understanding of French society; and,
• Develop the skills needed to pass the B1 level of the DELF exam

This course is for the student with an A2.1 elementary level of French. It introduces the phonetics and phonology, the morphology and syntax of simple sentences of French. It teaches oral and written communication skills related to activities of daily life. Topics include: the French alphabet; simple phrases; the nominal group; determinants; pronouns; verbs; vocabulary for basic communication.

This course presents key aspects of contemporary French culture and civilization. The course examines topics including those pertinent to the functions of French society, such as political parties and unions, the idea of public service (teaching, health, transportation, etc.), the French population and culture, French values, and French media.

This course considers the relationship between the noir genre and social criticism, particularly from the perspective of the Situationist International group which was active between 1957 and 1972. It compares texts from the Situationist International and several novels by Jean-Patrick Manchette, in particular Ô DINGOS! O CASTLES! (1972), one of the first novels of the writer, very marked by situationist themes (critique of architecture, play, merchandise); THE LITTLE BLUE OF THE WEST COAST (1976), which marks a shift towards a more perceptible formal research while continuing the critique of daily life alienated; and THE POSITION OF THE PRONE SHOOTER (1981), where social criticism seems to take a back seat in favor a return to the violent and very refined action novel.

This course is specialized for international students and designed specifically for native English speakers to practice advanced literary translation from and into French. It works on a corpus of short texts chiefly from the 19th and 20th centuries. The “prose” section of the course provides a chance to test and improve knowledge of French syntax and idioms, and become familiar with the stylistic requirements of written French. The French texts that are translated into English are by major French authors. The course also explores the various mechanisms involved in translation (such as modulation and transposition), working from the hypothesis that translation and literary analysis are indissociable.

This course delves into the practical aspects of literary translation, focusing on the analysis of translated texts. It examines various issues and challenges that arise during the translation process, including cultural, literary, and linguistic considerations. Close examination of translated works provide insight into the complexities of translation and develop critical thinking skills for evaluating translation choices. Discussions center around the options available for translation, providing a deeper understanding of the strategies and techniques employed in the field. Through a combination of theoretical exploration and practical exercises, the course builds skills in literary translation and develops an appreciation for the art and craft of translation.

This course represents additional work for the course FR 133B, POPULAR FRENCH MUSIC. This course provides an opportunity to listen to and analyze popular French and francophone songs of the 20th an 21st centuries while discovering French society and culture. It discusses the vocabulary and what the lyrics mean from the author's point of view.

This course provides an opportunity to participate in theatrical improvisation activities to develop oral skills. It practices expressing oneself in communication situations and learning to adapt to the context. The course includes guided improvisation and writing short dialogues around acts of staged speech. It facilitates development of oral skills through theatrical play; adapting to different communication situations (levels of language, sociocultural codes); learning about writing theatrical dialogue; and discovering French theater and theatrical techniques.

This course studies works (mainly literary) from prehistory to try to better understand the power of attraction that this still so enigmatic period in the history of man exerts on the imagination and to explore, particularly from the daydreams and fantasized representations that unfold there, what that they say about us more than about our distant ancestors. The course also provides an opportunity to address, from the texts studied, specifically literary questions, through for example those of genres and registers, the construction of the story or writing resources. Part of this course is devoted to the study of works of youth literature to discover the vision of prehistory that they offer.

This course studies French-Spanish filmmaker of Luis Buñuel, in particular his final and probably most productive period which was mainly French. Accompanied by screenwriter Jean-Claude Carrière, his faithful sidekick, the father of Spanish cinema drew his inspiration from several of the great French novels of the preceding decade. This course explores one of them, LE JOURNAL D’UNE FEMME DE CHAMBRE, to reflect on the specific work of adaptation characterized by varying degrees of difference from the original.