Linguistics: Variation in Contemporary French

Teacher(s)

Simon Anne-Catherine;

Language

French

Prerequisites

Main themes

Examination of the usage (spoken and written) of present-day French reveals that the language is subject to significant variations that affect, among others, pronunciation, vocabulary and syntax. This course offers a series of theoretical and methodological tools for the identification, description and analysis of linguistic variants, and attempts to explain the causes of this variation. The approach is both disciplinary (phonology, lexicology, syntax) and sociolinguistic. The course aims to develop reflection about the idea of 'reference French' and about the characteristics of the different 'varieties' of French, whether regional, social or stylistic.

Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :
1	By the end of this course students will be able to ' Identify linguistic variation (variables and variants) in spoken and written French usage, at the phonetic-phonological, written, morphological, lexical and syntactical levels; ' Describe variants in a qualitative manner, in relation to 'reference French'; ' Interpret the social value of a variant by relating it to one or more dimensions of variation (social, geographical, stylistic, etc.); ' Distinguish between the normative and scientific viewpoints on language, and take a critical perspective on value judgements relative to usage of French.

Content

The following questions will be considered: which aspects of French pronunciation vary (vowels, consonants, schwa) and why? What do the phonological systems of different varieties of French (in Belgium, in the south of France, in Quebec, etc.) have in common? What questions, and what problems, are posed by gender-neutral writing (making it possible to ensure equality of representations between men and women) and the feminisation of job titles, etc.? How can one describe the origins and status of lexical regionalisms (Belgicisms, Helvetisms, etc.)? Is the syntax of the spoken language the same as that of the written language? Etc.

Teaching methods

Lectures and practical group work sessions.
Tools for interaction with large groups (Padlet, Wooclap).

Evaluation methods

In the January session, the final grade is based on a written exam. In the September session, the evaluation may take the form of an oral or written exam depending on the number of students enrolled.

Other information

The training in French linguistics has been thought out in a progressive way over the three annual blocks of the bachelor's degree. The first annual block aims at mastering the standardized language while maintaining a critical distance from the norm (LROM1111 Linguistique : maitrise et analyse du français normé). The second annual block is devoted to the study of the French language in its social or geographical variation (LROM1221 Linguistique : la variation en français contemporain) and historical (LROM1222 Linguistique : approche historique du français dans la Roumanie). The third annual block trains in the analysis of the French language as used in context, and in particular in the identification of the genres (and registers) of texts and speeches (LROM1331 Linguistique : analyse du français en contexte).

Online resources

Moodle Platform: https://moodle.uclouvain.be/course/view.php?id=2675

•  register for a group of Practical Work at the beginning of the year
•  use resources (scientific articles, texts from official language policy bodies, etc.)
•  Obtain the answers to the TP exercises after each session.

Parole&Langue website: https://sites.uclouvain.be/paroleetlangue/web/

• revision exercises (phonetic transcription, morphological analysis)
• sound examples (commented examples)

Bibliography

Voir syllabus.

Teaching materials

• Simon, A.C. 2024. Linguistique: la variation en français contemporain. Syllabus du cours. Louvain-la-Neuve: DUC.
• Simon, A.C. (resp.) 2024. LROM1221 Syllabus des Travaux Pratiques. (Téléchargeable sur Moodle)

Faculty or entity

> ELAL