--;This course is for students aiming primarily to acquire a reading knowledge of French in the minimum amount of time and will be useful for students interested in translation, needing to conduct research based on French-language sources, and/or preparing for the French graduate-level reading knowledge exam. We will cover essential grammar and vocabulary. Credit/No Credit grading only.
In keeping with Cal Poly's learning objectives, successful students should, moreover, better be able to: think critically and creatively; communicate effectively; work productively as individuals and in groups; use their knowledge and skills to make a positive contribution to society; and make reasoned decisions based on an understanding of ethics, a respect for diversity, and an awareness of issues related to sustainability. They should, more specifically, have made progress in: communicating effectively through reading and writing; developing communicative competency in order to work productively both as individuals and in collaboration with others; gaining perspective on cultural and historical achievements in French-speaking cultures as well as on relevant issues of diversity; cultivating awareness of ethical and professional perspectives that reflect linguistic and cultural heritage; thinking critically and creatively; negotiating meaning between French and English; and developing the life-long ability to evaluate ways in which language and culture provide perspective/s on the larger world of the arts, science, and technology.
Course learning objectives: read and understand, with the help of a dictionary, texts pertinent to students' fields of research; identify fundamental French grammatical structures and syntax; recognize essential French vocabulary words; increase confidence in translation abilities; produce effective translations of academic and non-academic materials from the original French.
Required texts*
Brichant, Colette. French Grammar: The Key to Reading (accessible via Canvas*)
Brichant, Colette. French for the Humanities (accessible via Canvas*)
*All course materials, provided by the instructor and/or other sources, are covered by copyright protections. Students are not authorized to record, share, repost, and/or redistribute these materials in any form(s) (such as, but not limited to, hard copy and electronic forms) in any venue(s) (such as, but not limited to, social media platforms and online study material sites). In some cases, sharing, reposting, recording, and/or redistributing course materials constitutes a violation of Cal Poly academic integrity policies, while in other cases such actions constitute a violation of copyright protections.
French-English dictionary (hard copy recommended), but online options might suffice early in the course: Collins, Larousse, Oxford-Hachette, etc.
Grade Breakdown
Homework: 30%
Quizzes: 40%
Translation Exam: 30%
Working Schedule
4 April: French for the Humanities (sentences 1-27, page 3; sentences 18-40, page 5; sentences 1-15, pages 5-6)--COMPLETED
6 April: French for the Humanities (sentences 28-40, page 4; sentences 1-17, page 4; sentences 16-40, pages 6-7; sentences 1-15, page 7)--COMPLETED
11 April: French for the Humanities (sentences 16-40, pages 7-8; sentences 1-40, pages 8-9; sentences 1-20, pages 9-10)--COMPLETED
13 April: Quiz 1 (based on 4-11 April); French for the Humanities (sentences 21-45, pages 10-11; sentences 1-35, pages 11-12; sentences 1-15, pages 12-13)--COMPLETED
18 April: French for the Humanities (sentences 16-25, page 13; sentences 1-36, pages 13-14; sentences 1-30, pages 14-15; sentences 1-10, pages 15-16)--COMPLETED
20 April: French for the Humanities (sentences 11-30, page 16; sentences 1-40, pages 16-18; sentences 1-10, page 18)--COMPLETED
25 April: French for the Humanities (sentences 11-40, pages 18-19; sentences 1-20, pages 19-20; sentences 1-26, pages 20-21)--COMPLETED
27 April: Quiz 2 (based on 13-25 April); French for the Humanities (sentences 1-23, pages 21-22; "Colbert," pages 22-23; sentences 1-15, pages 23-24)--COMPLETED
2 May: French for the Humanities (sentences 16-25, page 24; sentences 1-25, pages 24-25; "La construction de l’église du palais de Charlemagne," pages 25-26; sentences 1-30, pages 26-27)--COMPLETED
4 May: French for the Humanities (sentences 1-30, pages 27-29; "Comment les urbanistes conçoivent les villes de l’avenir," first six paragraphs, pages 29-30)--COMPLETED
9 May: French for the Humanities ("Comment les urbanistes conçoivent les villes de l’avenir," last two paragraphs on page 30; sentences 1-30, pages 30-31; sentences 1-30, pages 31-33; "La doctrine des Saint-Simoniens," first paragraph, page 33)--COMPLETED
11 May: Quiz 3 (based on 27 April-9 May); French for the Humanities ("La doctrine des Saint Simoniens," second through sixth paragraphs, pages 33-34; sentences 1-5, page 34)--COMPLETED
16 May: French for the Humanities (sentences 6-35, pages 34-35; sentences 1-30, pages 35-37; "L'enseignement secondaire français," pages 37-38)--COMPLETED
18 May: French for the Humanities (sentences 1-35, pages 38-39; sentences 1-30, pages 40-41; "La naissance de 'l'impressionisme,' " pages 41-42; sentences 1-10, page 42-43; sentences 1-10, page 43)--COMPLETED
23 May: French for the Humanities (sentences 1-10, pages 43-44; sentences 1-10, page 44; sentences 1-20, pages 44-45; "L'Education selon Rousseau," pages 66-68)--COMPLETED
25 May: Quiz 4 (based on 11 May-23 May); French for the Humanities ("La presse dans la société contemporaine," pages 69-71) & "Préface à l’édition universitaire américaine" (Camus)--COMPLETED
30 May: French for the Humanities ("La presse dans la société contemporaine," pages 69-71); "Les liaisons dangereuses" (review)--COMPLETED
1 June: "Montréal dans les bulles" (review); Lupin postcolonial" (1st two paragraphs of article)--COMPLETED
6 June: "La France ne se sent pas bien" (1st five paragraphs of article)--COMPLETED
8 June: Scan of all homework (due at 6 p.m., via Canvas)
15 June: Translation Exam (due at 10 p.m., via Canvas)