Unit information: Reading Old and middle French in 2012/13

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Unit name Reading Old and middle French
Unit code FREN30104
Credit points 20
Level of study H/6
Teaching block(s) Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12)
Unit director Professor. Marianne Ailes
Open unit status Not open
Pre-requisites

none
Co-requisites

none
School/department Department of French
Faculty Faculty of Arts

Description including Unit Aims

The unit will give students a reading knowledge and basic grammatical understanding of Old and Middle French (from the earliest texts to the fifteenth century). It will be taught using short extracts from a range of texts. Grammatical principles will be explained as they occur, and the challenges presented by different genres will be explored. Half of the course will focus on French of the 12th and 13th centuries and will offer opportunities to explore the peculiarities of Old French dialects; the second half will concentrate on the development of Old French into the Middle French period.

Aims:

To equip students to read a variety of French texts from the whole of the medieval period, and give them increased awareness of language development. The students will also acquire the skills to use efficiently specialist dictionaries and reference books.

Intended Learning Outcomes

The student will have, on completion of the course:

  • a general knowledge of the grammar of Old and Middle French
  • a good knowledge of a range of vocabulary
  • a sufficient understanding of orthographical variation to use specialist dictionaries
  • a knowledge of some dialectal features
  • an ability to read historical accounts and literary narratives in the original language with the help of reference books.

Teaching Information

Seminars.

Assessment Information

a) A written assignment of 3000 words being a portfolio of translations and a two hour exam (50% each)

Reading and References

  • E. Einhorn, Old French: a Concise Handbook
  • G. Raynaud de Lage, Introduction à l’ancien français, revised by G. Hasenhohr
  • G. Zink, Le Moyen Français (XIVe et XVe siècles)
  • G. Zink, L’Ancien Français

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