General linguistics, lexicography and syntax issues

General linguistics

How can you describe a language? Do we ever really master a language? Besides their considerable diversity, do languages have common properties? How do they work? How are they acquired? Can we lessen their apparent complexity? How do my words, what I'm saying, make sense? These are all questions this course aims to answer. It provides an introduction to the basic concepts and methods of general linguistics. There are two objectives: on the one hand, to initiate students in the fundamental questions concerning the nature and the function of language and languages and, on the other hand, to familiarise students with the analytical tools particular to the field.

The course is based on five modules:

I. What is language - Purposes and methods of linguistics

II. The universal properties of languages

III. Language as an object of study

   1. - Phonetics and phonology
   2. - Morphology
   3. - lexicology and semantics

IV. Language and communication (communication theories)

V. Language, its use and society - sociolinguistics

Lexicography and syntax issues

    1) In-depth study of lexicological concepts and methods (procedures for creating words, relationships between words etc);
2) In-depth study of the syntactic particularities of French;

3) Identification of syntactical and lexical errors or mistakes in statements and redrafting these statements in standard French; 
4) Working with the main dictionaries and grammar books relating to the French language.
5) Use of dictionaries
6) Writings (the past, the present and the future simple tenses will be used).

General linguistics

Students should be able to:

- thoroughly examine the nature of language and how languages work;

- use analytical tools particular to the field and apply them to new situations;

- analyse a speech and separate it into its various linguistic units;

- explain the system of sound production for French;

- analyse and describe the different mechanisms involved in sound production;

- understand the role of the linguistic context and the extralinguistic situation and explain their interaction.

Lexicography and syntax issues

    Students will be capable of using appropriate dictionaries and grammatical works depending on their research objectives and methods.  Students will be able to identify syntactical and lexicological mistakes, weaknesses and errors and be able to correct them.

General linguistics

Good knowledge of the French language (B2 level).

Lexicography and syntax issues

No prerequisite knowledge, but C1 level for non-native speakers. 

General linguistics

The course alternates between lectures, learning through problem-solving, doing exercises and reading documents.

General linguistics

Face-to-face course


Additional information:

Face-to-face course.

Available on eCampus : the slides from class (Ppt or Key) and  students should read them carefully in order to prepare for and facilitate the discussion on said content; exercices to prepare the practical sessions ("TP"); exercices online.

In addition to this preparation, students are expected to take part in discussions during theory classes. Students are therefore required to do a certain amount of work by themselves outside these face-to-face classes.

Lexicography and syntax issues

Face-to-face course


Additional information:

    TEACHING AND LEARNING METHODS: face-to-face. One part of the course, in the form of lectures, will shed light on lexicological concepts and methods, the study of syntactical particularities of French, dictionaries and grammar books. There will be time for interaction between the teacher and the group, when exercises (which are set out for the most part in the syllabus) are worked through. Student participation in the theory course is compulsory, as is preparation of exercises at home. A certain amount of personal investment outside class hours is therefore required of students.

Erasmus students can choose the group they want without asking the teacher. 


Monday : group 1 : 08:00 - 10: 00 : ULiège, rue de Pitteurs, L5 2.7/8
or

Monday : group 2 : 10:00 - 12: 00  : ULiège, rue de Pitteurs, L5 2.7/8

 

 

Some courses could be given on TEAMS for exceptional reasons. 

General linguistics

- Notes including theoretical explanations, slides, texts and exercises available on eCampus.

- COMPULSORY READING : compendium of texts ans documents avalaible on eCampus.


- Les linguistes atterrées, Le français va très bien, merci. Paris : Gallimard, Tract n°49, 2023.

Lexicography and syntax issues

  COURSE NOTES:  - Course notes (with exercices and exams examples).
- Texts and exercises distributed during class. 
- A book to study for the exam : COLIGNON, J.-P., Pour ne plus faire de fautes d'orthographe. Paris, éd. de l'Opportun, Poche, s.d.
RECOMMENDED READING : A bibliography will be distributed during class. 
MAIN RESOURCES USED BY THE TEACHER : - Bavoux, C. (dir.), Le français des dictionnaires: L'autre versant de la lexicographie française, Brussels, Duculot, 2008.  - Bal, W., Doppagne, A., Goosse, A., Hanse, J., Lenoble-Pinson, M., Pohl, J., Warnant, L.,Belgicismes. Inventaire des particularités lexicales du français en Belgique, Louvain-la-Neuve, Duculot, Paris, Conseil international de la langue française, 1994.  - Hanse, J., Blampain, D., Nouveau dictionnaire des difficultés du français moderne, Louvain-la-Neuve, De Boeck-Duculot, 2005. - Paveau, M.-A., Rosier, L., La langue française: passions et polémiques, Paris, Vuibert, 2008.

General linguistics

Exam(s) in session

Any session

- In-person

written exam ( multiple-choice questionnaire, open-ended questions )


Additional information:

Any session :

- In-person

written exam ( multiple-choice questionnaire, open-ended questions )

- Remote

oral exam

- If evaluation in "hybrid"

preferred in-person


Additional information:

Written exam organised in January, June and September in the form of a MCQ and open questions relating to what the students have learnt (knowledge and understanding of the basic concepts and methods of linguistics) and know-how (knowing how to use the tools particular to the field in the proposed new situations)

This teaching unit ("Unité d'enseignement," or UE) is subject to the principle of the "note absorbante," which means that the student having obtained a mark below 8/20 for one of the learning activities ("activités d'apprentissage," or AA) will receive a failing grade for the entire unit and will have to retake the failed AA in the second session regardless of the mathematical average of the two AA grades.

Lexicography and syntax issues

Exam(s) in session

Any session

- In-person

written exam ( multiple-choice questionnaire, open-ended questions )

- Remote

written exam ( multiple-choice questionnaire, open-ended questions )


Additional information:

This teaching unit ("Unité d'enseignement," or UE) is subject to the principle of the "note absorbante," which means that the student having obtained a mark below 8/20 for one of the learning activities ("activités d'apprentissage," or AA) will receive a failing grade for the entire unit and will have to retake the failed AA in the second session regardless of the mathematical average of the two AA grades. 

 

Any session :

- In-person

written exam ( multiple-choice questionnaire, open-ended questions )

- Remote

written exam ( multiple-choice questionnaire, open-ended questions )

- If evaluation in "hybrid"

preferred in-person


Additional information:

    - In January: written examination on 1) a list of paronyms and semantically close terms liable to lead to drafting errors. 2) some exercises and theoretical points covered in class during the first term. 3) book of Colignon.

- In June: written examination for the students who failed (less than 10/20) in January (second chance). 

- In September : written examination for the students who failed (less than 10/20) in June. 


Examinations include open questions and multiple choice questions.

Lexicography and syntax issues

No work placements.

General linguistics

Christophe Leveau : christophe.leveau@uliege.be

Lexicography and syntax issues

FANeven@uliege.be

Lexicography and syntax issues

Course notes
Course notes

Dictionaries
Dictionaries

Planing
Planing