RLFR 105(F) Advanced French: Linguistic and Cultural Intrigue in the Francophone World (I)
What mysterious set of connections brings together a young Québecoise graduate student, an 18th-century French manuscript by the author of Dangerous Liaisons, a chameleon-like Parisian bent on tracking the young student, a sinister French police inspector, and a suave Caribbean book collector with roots in two continents? Where is the kaleidoscope of cultural signs leading us: the Zydeco culture of Louisiana and New Orleans, enigmatic Creole proverbs such as "The green beans are not salted" and "Okra is not eaten with one finger", the dizzying shift of international locales, and the autumnal radiance of Paris? We set out with Claire Plouffe and her young, somewhat sinister admirer, Jean-Louis Royer, through a deepening international mystery set in a Francophone environment and embracing the rich variety of cultural and linguistic experience that has helped shape the role of France in the world. Against this backdrop, the course seeks to build on the writing, reading, and aural comprehension skills in French developed at the elementary and intermediate levels (especially those of French 103). It will consist of a continued review of fundamental grammar structures, but will emphasize the application and assimilation of those structures in activities of composition, oral presentation, and discussion. Conducted in French.
Requirements: class participation, attendance, short papers, and five hour-long exams.
Prerequisites: French 101-102, 103, or examination placement. Enrollment limit: 20 (expected: 20).
Hour: NORTON