The long career of French as a prestige vernacular makes it a strong presence in most European medieval literary cultures, and Old French is of special importance to the study of medieval Britain and Ireland. From the early twelfth to the fifteenth centuries it was a major language for both literary and documentary texts inthe British Isles. This module uses a textbook offering standardized linguistic information and paradigms, but working with and specifically commenting on texts in many dialects, including Anglo-Norman. This module will equip students to begin work on almost any Old French text.
Module learning outcomes
At the end of the two-module course students should:
have the confidence and capacity to enjoy medieval French texts in the original language.
understand the basic medieval history of the French language, including dialects and major linguistic changes.
be able to translate Old and Middle French texts for their MA research.
Assessment
Task
Length
% of module mark
Online Exam - 24 hrs (Centrally scheduled) Old French
N/A
100
Special assessment rules
None
Reassessment
Task
Length
% of module mark
Online Exam - 24 hrs (Centrally scheduled) Old French
N/A
100
Module feedback
Feedback supplied weekly in class and exam results given within 20 working days.
Indicative reading
E. Einhorn, Old French: A Concise Handbook (Cambridge, 1974, reprs to 1999 and beyond).
Recommended Preliminary Reading:
The on-line Anglo-Norman Dictionary has a good overview of the French of England by William Rothwell. You can google to this excellent, free dictionary, or go to the Anglo-Norman hub at www.anglo-norman.net
T. Fenster, French Language, An Encyclopaedia of Medieval France, ed. W. W. Kibler (New York, 1995), pp. 370-74.
R. Anthony Lodge, French: From Dialect to Standard (London and New York, 1993).