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Voices in the Media : performing French linguistic otherness
\"Verbal performances are often encountered in the media where they are used to embody characters or social archetypes. Performed voices define the norm as well as the linguistic Others and by doing so circulate associated values and linguistic ideologies. This book explores the idea that, far from simply being exercises in verbal skill and flair, performances of social, ethnic or gendered voices in the media not only have the power to accomplish ideological work, they are also sites of linguistic tension and negotiation.Critically examining performances of French voices in the media, this book raises the following questions:- How are repertoires of voices constructed and subsequently perpetuated in the media? - How do the stereotypic personae these voices contribute to build become familiar to national as well as transnational audiences? - How do such performed voices reproduce hegemonic ideologies of standard and non-standard languages and participate in the perpetuation of social discriminations? - How are these performed voices commodified into cultural products of otherness that may later be reclaimed by stigmatized communities? Following an innovative framework which allows for analysis of performances of varied voices and their impact in the media sphere, Voices in the Media offers a new approach to the linguistics of media performance\"-- Provided by publisher.
Sightings
2008
Mirrors are mesmerizing. The rhetorical figure that represents a mirror is called a chiasmus, a pattern derived from the Greek letter X (Chi). This pattern applies to sentences such as \"one does not live to eat; one eats to live.\" It is found in myths, plays, poems, biblical songs, short stories, novels, epics. Numerous studies have dealt with repetition, difference, and Narcissism in the fields of literature, music, and art. But mirror structures, per se, have not received systematic notice. This book analyses mirror imagery, scenes, and characters in French prose texts, in chronological order, from the 17th to the 20th centuries. It does so in light of literal, metaphoric, and rhetorical structures. Works analysed in the traditional French canon, written by such writers as Laclos, Lafayette, and Balzac, are extended by studies of texts composed by Barbey d'Aurevilly, Georges Rodenbach, Jean Lorrain, and Pieyre de Mandiargues. This work appeals to readers interested in linguistics, French history, psychology, art, and material culture. It invites analyses of historical and ideological contexts, rhetorical strategies, symmetry and asymmetry. Ovid's Narcissus and Alice in Wonderland are paradigms for the study of micro and macro-structures. Analyses of mirrors as cultural artefacts are significant to Lowrie's sight seeing.
Aux marges de la langue
2011
This memorial volume renders homage to Marc Sourdot, an important French linguist. It contains sixteen chronologically presented papers chosen from his work which are dedicated to substandard French. In the second part, there are various abstracts - his complete bibliography and as well as his benefit to French linguistics. Marc Sourdot is a lecturer of linguistics at University of Sorbonne in Paris. He is also one of the founders of CARGO - Centre for Research of Argotology in Paris.
Developing Writing Skills in French
2005
Designed for intermediate to advanced students, this text equips readers with the necessary skills to write confidently in French in a range of situations. Suitable for use as a classroom text or as a self-study course, it is carefully structured to ensure a better understanding of the effect of choice of words, register and style. Each chapter contains a selection of model texts, activities and clear notes on the format, style and language demonstrated. Every activity also has a model answer in the key, which also offers advice, explanations and further examples to support the student's learning.
Features include: * key learning points clearly indicated at the beginning of each chapter * a rich selection of model texts from a variety of different media. Based on a well-reviewed Open University course and written by experienced teachers of the language, Developing Writing Skills in French has been trialled with non-native speakers of French to produce a valuable resource that will help students write appropriately for a variety of contexts.
CONTENTS
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Chapter 1 Le bonheur
understanding the terms ‘noun’, ‘adjective’ and ‘pronoun’ and using each one in a sentence
understanding sentence cohesion and the function of relative pronouns
using synonyms, antonyms and homonyms
Chapter 2 L’habitat
understanding the present, past and future tenses and their function in writing texts
altering the perspective of texts by changing verb tenses
understanding the function of adverbs and complements in a written passage
improving written passages by using appropriate adverbs
completing a story line by adding detail
manipulating the active and passive voices
improving a written text by adding adverbs and changing tenses
Chapter 3 L’expression artistique
producing sentences starting from their basic elements (noun + verb +…)
improving a written passage by using connectors (link words)
simplifing a written text
writing a text using elements gathered in note form
structuring a well-planned essay
Chapter 4 L’environnement en danger
manipulating register to adapt to different target audiences
using appropriate register for official correspondence
producing pastiches to explore different styles
Chapter 5 Quelques personnages historiques
writing a description of the career and ideology of a political figure
describing a day in the life of a political figure
analysing texts to distinguish between objective and subjective descriptive content
describing a political figure in both a positive and a negative manner
improving your style by redrafting your work
Chapter 6 Quelques édifices publics
identifying the nature and main themes of a text
finding shorter alternatives to expressions used in a text
summarizing texts and interviews
giving objective and subjective reactions to texts
changing register
arguing for and against a theme
Chapter 7 Nouveau départ
writing a short story on a contemporary theme by following specific steps
summarizing a short story in three sentences
checking your written work
redrafting and improving your work
Chapter 8 Science et technologie
analysing the features of a scientific biography
writing a fictional or factual text relating to the theme of science and technology
identifying the stylistic features of a text
correcting and improve a text
commenting on a passage
summarizing the factual content of a passage
Answer key
Graham Bishop is Lecturer in French and German, and Bernard Haezewindt is Lecturer in French, both at the Open University, UK.
'Perhaps the greatest strength of this book lies in its attention to the development of transferable skills ... Given the importance attached in higher education to the development of transferable skills, this is a vital selling point.' – The Times Higher Educational Supplement
Language and conflict in Northern Ireland and Canada : a silent war
2010
In a unique contribution to understanding the interaction of language policy and planning in modern conflict resolution, Janet Muller provides an insider account of the search for improved status for the Irish language in Northern Ireland from the 1980s.
THE ROLE OF LANGUAGE-ANALYTIC ABILITY IN CHILDREN’S INSTRUCTED SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNING
2019
Language-analytic ability, or the ability to treat language as an object of analysis and arrive at linguistic generalizations, is at the core of the constructs of language learning aptitude and metalinguistic awareness, which are implicated in our ability to learn explicitly. In the context of child second language (L2) learning, it has been argued that children learn primarily implicitly and that the most important component of aptitude may be memory ability. However, no empirical research to date has investigated the relationship and development of aptitude and metalinguistic awareness longitudinally as well as examined their predictive power for children’s L2 achievement in the classroom. In a study with English-speaking learners aged 8–9 (N = 111), we found that although aptitude and metalinguistic awareness were (still) dynamic, they significantly predicted children’s achievement in L2 French. Moreover, language-analytic ability proved to be the component with the strongest predictive power. This finding suggests that it may not be level of cognitive maturity alone that determines children’s approach to L2 learning; experiencing explicit, form-focused instruction may foster the role of language-analytic ability even in children as young as 8–9 years.
Journal Article
Enacting culturally sustaining immersion pedagogy through SFL and translanguaging design
by
King, Nicole
,
Bramli, Ahmed
,
Troyan, Francis John
in
Academic achievement
,
African American Students
,
African Americans
2021
Framed within the discussions of the knowledge base for language immersion teachers, this article presents a qualitative case study of a first‐year Grade 2 French immersion teacher's enactment of his systemic functional linguistic (SFL) knowledge to position his students in a culturally sustaining genre pedagogy. We examined interactive events and interview data to understand how Ahmed deployed his SFL knowledge base to position four African American students in classroom interactions as they deconstructed and reconstructed focal genres in this second‐grade French immersion classroom. Our findings revealed that Ahmed positioned his students in three ways: as an inclusive classroom community, as readers and writers, and as language analysts. Likewise, the students took up roles as genre analysts, active language users, and engaged community members. The findings also demonstrated that Ahmed selectively deployed his linguistic resources in varieties of French and English to connect with his students, create community with them, and achieve his instructional goals within a translanguaging space (e.g., Tian, 2021; Wei, 2011). These findings point to the potential of SFL and translanguaging pedagogy as a flexible and dynamic knowledge base for enacting culturally sustaining immersion education. The Challenge Research on teacher knowledge in immersion education has primarily focused on the teacher's ability to integrate language and content. In this study, we sought to examine how a French immersion teacher enacted his systemic functional linguistic (SFL) knowledge base in translanguaging design to position his African American students in a culturally sustaining genre pedagogy.
Journal Article
Reconceptualizing Sociolinguistic Competence as Mediated Action: Identity, Meaning-Making, Agency
by
VAN COMPERNOLLE, RÉMI A.
,
WILLIAMS, LAWRENCE
in
Academic achievement
,
Access
,
Applied linguistics
2012
This article presents 2 case studies of intermediate university students of French, Casey and Melanie (both pseudonyms), and their developing use and understanding of stylistic variation over the course of an academic semester. It draws from a variety of data sources: classroom observation, learners' explanations of stylistic variants, learners' analyses of variation in transcriptions of spoken French, interlearner online chat discussions, and interviews with a teacher-researcher in French and English. The two case studies illustrate two dramatically different orientations to variation among second language learners of French. On the one hand, Casey uses variation during class assignments, and she is capable of creating and assigning social and symbolic meaning through its use. Yet variation for Casey remains an academic achievement and she resists incorporating variation into her natural speech. On the other hand, Melanie embraces variation as a mediating artifact that will afford her access to social, interpersonal interaction in the future, and enable her to engage in \"being Melanie\" in this additional language. In both cases, however, the importance of their personal histories, the role of language learning in their lives, and desired future access to French-speaking communities of practice beyond a school setting come into sharp relief.
Journal Article
The impact of native language on second language rhythm acquisition: Insights from a cross-linguistic and intra-language corpus study
2024
Linguistic Research 41(3): 391-429. This study investigates how native language (LI) rhythm structure influences the acquisition of second language (L2) rhythm across 20 different languages and within a single language group. Utilizing diverse corpora of L1 and L2 speech samples from various languages, we explored the rhythmic patterns of syllable-timed (e.g., Korean) and stress-timed (e.g., English) language speakers. Our findings reveal that L2 learners from syllable-timed language backgrounds can achieve rhythm patterns similar to native English speakers, challenging the notion that L1 rhythm disparities inherently disadvantage learners. This supports the Speech Learning Model (SLM), suggesting that learners with rhythmically contrasting native languages may acquire L2 rhythm more effectively than those with similar rhythmic structures. Furthermore, we examined the effect of speech style (reading vs. spontaneous) on rhythm production. Native Korean speakers consistently exhibited higher durational variability in spontaneous speech compared to reading in both L1 and L2, contrary to expectations that educational focus would lead to increased variability in reading. This pattern underscores the potential influence of individual speech traits, suggesting that 11 rhythmic tendencies persist in L2 production. Our study highlights the need for further research into the interplay between L1 and L2 rhythm acquisition and the impact of speech style across diverse language backgrounds. This research contributes to understanding the broader applicability of the SLM and the role of speech style in rhythm production. (Soongsil University - University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee)
Journal Article
Parental Language Mixing in Montreal: Rates, Predictors, and Relation to Infants’ Vocabulary Size
by
Byers-Heinlein, Krista
,
Paquette, Alexandra
in
Bilingual people
,
Bilingualism
,
Child development
2025
Language mixing is a common feature of bilingual communication, yet its predictors and effects on children’s vocabulary development remain debated. Most research has been conducted in contexts with clear societal and heritage languages, leaving open questions about language mixing in environments with two societal languages. Montreal provides a unique opportunity to examine this question, as both French and English hold societal status, while many families also maintain heritage languages. Using archival data from 398 bilingual children (7–34 months), we looked at French-English bilinguals (representing societal bilingualism) and heritage-language bilinguals within the same sociolinguistic environment. We assessed the prevalence, predictors, and motivations of parental language mixing and its relationship with vocabulary development. Results revealed that mixing was less frequent among French-English bilinguals compared to heritage-language bilinguals in the same city. The direction of mixing differed between groups: French-English bilinguals mixed based on language dominance, while heritage-language bilinguals mixed based on societal language status. Primary motivations included uncertainty about word meanings, lack of suitable translations, and teaching new words. Mixing showed minimal associations with vocabulary size across participants. These findings suggest that parental mixing practices reflect adaptive strategies that vary by sociolinguistic context rather than detrimental influences on early language acquisition.
Journal Article