AP/FR 3112 3.00
The French Language: A Journey Through History and Creativity
This course proposes an overview of the evolution of the French language from Latin to modern French, focusing on the historical, social, political and cultural causes of language variation and change. The course illustrates the evolution of the French language with examples of phonetic, lexical and semantic change in various genres (fiction, poetry, theatre, …). The course explores topics such as the role of the Académie française or Office Québécois de la langue française in Québec in regulating the use of a normative form of the French language, the influence of other languages on French (and vice-versa), language contact and language use on social media. The course provides students with a fundamental understanding of the nature and causes of language variation and change while helping them improve their knowledge of the linguistic system of French.
Through oral and written assignments, students explore how the French language changes over time, analyzing real examples at the phonetic, lexical, and semantic levels. Through reflection activities, students examine how major shifts in the history of French affect their understanding and learning of the language today.
Prerequisites: AP/FR 2100 6.00 (with a minimum grade of C).
Course credit exclusions: none