French grammar and grammatical analysis Lecture 1 What is grammar? Dr Rachel Hoare

Course aims and format To provide a foundation of basic grammatical concepts and terminology relating to the French language Develop grammatical precision in written and oral expression Lecture: Monday, – Room 2037 Weekly class(es) – find out when and where Noticeboard

What is Grammar (1) Ensemble des règles phonétiques, morphologiques et syntaxiques, écrites et orales d’une langue. (Petit Larousse, 1988)

What is Grammar (2) 2 terms frequently appear when discussing grammar: Descriptive Prescriptive

What is Grammar (3) Examples: Some prescriptive rules of English: Don’t use double negation Don’t use double negation Don’t end a sentence with a preposition (“the person I was waiting for.”) Don’t end a sentence with a preposition (“the person I was waiting for.”) Don’t use who in place of whom Don’t use who in place of whom

Register Concerned with the relationship that exists between a speaker and the person he/she is speaking to. In other words, it is the degree of formality or informality which a speaker accords the listener. We often use a different register when writing and when speaking.

Self access grammar work 2 hours every week The student should make use of: CLCS French Software CLCS Grammar Books Self-correction

CLCS Facilities Room 4091 (materials available) Rooms 4073 and 4074 (computer rooms)

How to prepare your Homework ALL Homework should be word-processed Legibility Spell checking functions Grammar suggestions Thesaurus Permanent record for you

French accents (1) Accent aigu: The acute may only be used over an e and this e must be the last letter of a syllable, ex. ré-pé-tée (except where followed by an e mute at the end of a word). Accent grave: The grave may be used over an e where the following syllable is mute: ex. très, succès (except for –ée: e.g. mère, sèche, je mènerai and (sometimes) before a final s). The grave is used over an a in the following words, à, çà (and then only in çà et là), deçà, delà, holà, là, voilà. Note, there is no accent on cela (=that), or on its reduced form, ça. The grave is used over u in only one word, où.

French Accents (2) The circumflex may be used over a, e, i, o or u. In some words it denotes the omission of an s that existed in earlier spelling and may have passed into English.

French Accents (3) The cedilla is placed under a c before a, o, or u to indicate that the c is pronounced [s] and not [k]: commençais (from commencer), reçu (from recevoir). Note, c is always pronounced [s] before e and i and so never takes a cedilla before either of these two vowels. The diaeresis (tréma) only ever occurs before the second of two vowels. It can be used to indicate that the two vowels belong to separate syllables; je hais (present tense) [ε] but past historic je haïs [ai] French accents (3)

Putting in French Accents (in Microsoft Word)

Spellchecker (in Microsoft Word 2000/XP or earlier versions)

Spellchecker and Thesaurus (in Microsoft Word 2000/XP or earlier versions)

Grammar Books and Usage The primary text for you to consult is French Grammar and Usage 2 nd Edition by Roger Hawkins and Richard Towell (London: Arnold) and the accompanying Practising French Grammar Revised Edition by Roger Hawkins, Marie-Nöelle Lamy and Richard Towell (London: Arnold). It is suggested that as you do the stipulated grammatical exercises you refer to these two books if you require further exercises/explanations.

Mot à Mot: a new advanced French vocabulary by Paul Humberstone.

How to get these books? Buying International Books Internet Library 5 Copies of French Grammar and Usage 5 Copies of Practising French Grammar

Oral language course You will find the JF aural language exercises on the departmental website under ‘local access’ You will find the JF aural language exercises on the departmental website under ‘local access’ You need to do the exercises before you go to the oral class every week. You need to do the exercises before you go to the oral class every week.

Junior Freshman Peer Tutoring As new college students you will need new strategies to enable you to deal with the year ahead. As new college students you will need new strategies to enable you to deal with the year ahead. Peer Tutoring provides a student-to-student support system. Peer Tutoring provides a student-to-student support system. It is not, however, a substitute for attending lectures and classroom learning. It is not, however, a substitute for attending lectures and classroom learning.

Peer Tutoring aims to enhance Academic and personal development Academic and personal development Integration and adjustment to College life Integration and adjustment to College life Development and mastery of the study skills and strategies necessary to be an effective learner Development and mastery of the study skills and strategies necessary to be an effective learner Understanding and mastery of the course material Understanding and mastery of the course material Use of the language-learning resources (language labs, text books, notes, etc) Use of the language-learning resources (language labs, text books, notes, etc)

Peer Tutoring Brings small groups of First Year students and a Second Year student together twice a week to review the material covered to date. Brings small groups of First Year students and a Second Year student together twice a week to review the material covered to date. Remember – a Second Year student is a survivor of the course you are about to embark upon. Remember – a Second Year student is a survivor of the course you are about to embark upon. You will benefit from their experience in a relaxed and non-classroom environment. You will benefit from their experience in a relaxed and non-classroom environment.

Identify the agreements in the following short passage. LOGEMENT ETUDIANT - Les résidences universitaires à l'essai LOGEMENT ETUDIANT - Les résidences universitaires à l'essai LOGEMENT ETUDIANT - Les résidences universitaires à l'essai LOGEMENT ETUDIANT - Les résidences universitaires à l'essai Se loger, si possible pas trop cher, pas trop loin et avec un minimum de confort … c’est LE sujet de préoccupation de chaque rentrée étudiante. Location, cité U, coloc', logement intergénérationnel… voici les différents modes de logements possibles. Bon plan ou galère ? Selon vos attentes et votre budget, sachez où vous pourrez poser votre sac. Se loger, si possible pas trop cher, pas trop loin et avec un minimum de confort … c’est LE sujet de préoccupation de chaque rentrée étudiante. Location, cité U, coloc', logement intergénérationnel… voici les différents modes de logements possibles. Bon plan ou galère ? Selon vos attentes et votre budget, sachez où vous pourrez poser votre sac.