Courses

New General Education course:

FR 156 – French in US Minority Cultures

Introduction to the sociolinguistic and cultural history of French as a heritage language in African American, Native American, and Cajun American communities from early colonial to late modern times. The course focuses on the lived experiences and lasting heritage of contact and segregation between colonizers, farmers, refugees, and free and enslaved populations in the American Midwest and South. It features readings, music, heritage sites, and discussions of prejudice and discrimination, language shift and language loss, and the linguistic outcomes of slavery and settler colonialism. Taught in English.

Specialized instruction in French:

FR 413 – French Phonetics

Introduction to theoretical aspects of French phonetics and phonology, research methods, and pronunciation exercises on speaking styles in French. Taught in French.

FR 416 – Introduction to French Linguistics

General survey of the linguistic structure of modern standard French, including an introduction to the social and political settings of varieties of French, phonology, morphology, syntax, pragmatics, and an extended chapter on the history of the language; emphasis on the differences between spoken and written forms. Taught in French.

FR 417 – History of French (topic: History of the lexicon)

Introduction to the analysis of primary sources on the historical development of individual Romance languages from their Latin origins to the present. Examination of a variety of genres and media and the social role of the languages in the definition of national identities. Taught in French.

FR/ITAL 418 – Language and Minorities in Europe

Introduction to linguistic, cultural, and political issues surrounding indigenous and (im)migrant language use in the member states of the European Union. Topics include language-mixing, language change, bilingual education, and the implementation of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In addition to French and Italian, the course is cross-listed in Germanic, Slavic, Spanish, Linguistics, Political Science, and European Union Studies. Taught in English.

FR 443 – Studies in French (topic: French around the World)

French is one of the most widely spoken languages around the world. Where and in what social settings is it used? How did the language spread and why is it used by a growing number of speakers in Africa? Where is French spoken in the Asia-Pacific realm? In the course, we discuss the social history of the language through the modern history of its overseas expansion and the unique social and political status of its multiple varieties spoken in the francophone world. Taught in French.

FR 529 – Studies in French Linguistics (various topics)

Prosody and Meaning (taught in English)

‘Prosody’ is often understood as the Music of Everyday Speech. This course focuses on intonation, rhythm, tempo, loudness, and phrasing, and will examine these aspects of prosody in everyday conversations, talk-shows, political speech, the second-language classroom, and motherese. Taught in English with examples from French, English, and other languages.

Social and Linguistic change in French (taught in French)

How did the French language change in the modern and contemporary periods in Europe and North America? How does linguistic variation and change parallel macro-social and political change, and how is it used in the construction of individual and collective social identities in France and Quebec? What is the role of the standard and what policy and planning measures helped achieving its quasi-exclusive dominance in the French linguistic marketplace? We will reflect on these broad questions by focusing on selected aspects of the structure of the language contextualized in broader contexts of social and cultural change. We will review selected aspects of the sound system (e.g., nasal vowels and /R/), morpho-syntax (e.g., pronouns and subject-verb agreement) and the lexicon (e.g. synonymy and borrowings) of several varieties of European and Quebec French, and discuss the role of language ideologies in light of contemporary social and cultural theories. Pre-requisite: Graduate standing in French and/or specialization in Romance Linguistics. Taught in French, with readings in French and English.

Language Policy and Planning (taught in French)

This seminar focuses on language regimes and language cultivation efforts through readings and discussions of state and minority language policies and planning in Quebec, francophone Europe, and Africa. Special focus on education and the media. Proposals on additional francophone regions of interest are welcome. Taught in French, with readings in French and English.

RMLG 559 – Seminar in Romance Linguistics (various topics)

Sociophonetics of French (taught in French)

Study of dialectal, stylistic, and L2-specific phonetic variation in the media and authentic, unscripted spontaneous speech in French. Comparisons with Romance languages and training to teach introductory phonetics (e.g. FR 213) in French. Graduate standing in French, Linguistics and/or specialization in Romance Linguistics is required. Take-home midterm and final project. Taught in French, with readings in French and English.

General instruction and service classes in French:

FR 207 – Grammar and Composition

Practice-intensive grammar review and vocabulary-building, with an emphasis on strategies to improve accuracy of, and expressivity in, speaking and writing in French. Grammar textbook supplemented with readings and materials from French and Francophone culture. Taught in French.

FR 213 – French Phonetics

Practical introduction to French phonetics, stressing pronunciation. Taught in French.

Courses taught or co-taught in English:

SLCL 200 – Languages of the Mediterranean (General Education course with E. Derhemi (Italian) and M. Terkourafi (Linguistics))

Created and edited:

Linguis Europae blog site related to this course:
http://eucenterillinois-language.blogspot.fr/