French 260 - Spring 2006
Instructor: Janet Doner.
Format : Meets 3 hours per week (MWF) 12-1 in Thomas 104.
Prerequisites: Completion of courses at the 100-level, or by departmental placement examination, or with permission of instructor.
Course Description:
This advanced course in stylistics and translation is designed to cultivate writing and speaking skills through intensive practice. Students are asked to review grammatical structures from a sophisticated perspective, to prepare exercises involving analysis and imitation of stylistic models, and to draw on this preparatory work in writing short papers on a variety of topics, translating short passages into French, and delivering oral presentations. Our goal is to refine the student's appreciation of linguistic structures and to encourage her to express herself in coherent, accurate, and elegant French.
Textbook: Pierre Limouzy et Jacques Bourgeacq, Manuel de Composition Française. Also occasional use of Marie Gontier Geno, A la Française on reserve in Canaday.
Assignments and Examinations:
Review of grammar and preparation of stylistic exercises for each class; regular reading of French newspapers and magazines; viewing of French T.V. news and other video materials; exploring Francophone web sites; weekly written assignments (composition or translation); short oral reports; mid-term examination; final oral and written examination. The final grade will be based on the Devoirs Ecrits (20%), Thèmes (20%), Mid-term (10%), Exposé (5%), Oral Final Exam (5%), Written Final Eaxm (25%), and Class Participation (15%).