This is an archived handbook for a previous year. The current undergraduate and postgraduate handbooks can be viewed using the links above.
Undergraduate Handbook 2010-2011 (archived)
Module FREN1051: LANGUAGE, POWER AND THE MAKING OF THE FRENCH NATION
Department: Modern Languages and Cultures (French)
FREN1051: LANGUAGE, POWER AND THE MAKING OF THE FRENCH NATION
| Type | Level | Credits | Availability | Module Cap | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | 1 | 20 | Available in 2010/2011 | None. | Durham |
Pre-requisites
- B in French at A Level (or its equivalent).
Corequisites
- Modern European Languages, Combined Honours and all Joint and 'with' programmes: French Language 1(1) (FREN1011). Others: see Chairman/Chairwoman of the Board of Studies in MLAC or his/her representative.
Excluded Combinations
- None.
Aims
- The course examines the external history of the French language in the context of the political and cultural history of France.
- It will show how French has influenced, and been influenced by, other languages, how standard French developed, and the extent to which political power and dominant language go hand in hand.
Content
- We shall examine the salient features of French from medieval times to the present, showing how, in the context of the political and cultural history of France, the standard language was established.
- how it has influenced, and been influenced by, other languages.
- how it has been codified, undermined, defended.
- Topics include political power and dominant language.
- and the relationship between spoken and written language.
- We shall analyse texts from all periods: medieval and Renaissance, the seventeenth-century ideal of elegant language, centralisation from the time of the Revolution, the impact of Romanticism and industrial revolution, down to modern French besieged by anglicisms and challenged by the independent voices of 'Francophonie'.
Learning Outcomes
Subject-specific Knowledge
- Students will have an outline knowledge of the development of French, in the context of major developments in the history of France.
- Students will have a basic understanding of how one language can influence another, and how and why authority tries to control language.
- Students will be familiar with representative texts from different periods.
Subject-specific Skills
Key Skills
Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module
- The lecture course (in English and French) will provide a survey of the development of France and French.
- The seminars (in English) will be used to examine and analyse texts from different periods.
- Independent learning will be encouraged by preparation for seminars and by research for the summative essay.
Teaching Methods and Learning Hours
| Activity | Number | Frequency | Duration | Total Hours | Attendance Monitored |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 21 | 1 Per Week | 1 Hour | 21 | Yes |
| Seminars | 10 | Fortnightly | 1 Hour | 10 | Yes |
| Preparation and Reading | 169 | ||||
| Total | 200 |
Summative Assessment
| Component | Component Weighting | Element | Length/Duration | Element Weighting | Resit Opportunity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commentary | 15% | Commentary (Term 1) | 500 words | 100% | |
| Essay | 25% | Essay (Term 2) (essay in English) | 1500 words | 100% | |
| Examination | 60% | Written examination | 2 hours | 100% |
Formative Assessment
None
Students who do not attend monitored activities shown under Teaching Methods
and Learning Hours, or who fail to complete the summative or formative
assessment(s) specified above, may be subject to the Academic Progress
procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be
required to leave the University.