French 3
A.Y. 2025/2026
Learning objectives
The monographic course aims to highlight the operating principles of French orthography considered as a system, and to stimulate a critical reflection on the persistence of errors. In addition, some social implications related to spelling and non-standard uses of written French are introduced. The course is supported by mother-tongue language teachers aiming to: improve oral comprehension of contemporary audiovisual documents in standard French and the written comprehension of complex documents; develop oral expression and the ability to interact in French with relative spontaneity; perfecting the written production of articulated texts and the ability to make relevant lexical choices.
Expected learning outcomes
KNOWLEDGE: to be able to describe and exemplify the operating principles and the constituent units of the French spelling system; to acquire awareness of spelling difficulties for native and allophone learners and of the cultural and sociolinguistic implications connected with this; to know some essential elements of the diachronic developments of French spelling, with particular regard to the contemporary reformist movement; to be able to recognise and analyse some non-standard uses of French spelling.
SKILLS: to acquire confidence in the analysis of graphic units; to develop effective strategies in the prevention and correction of spelling errors; to expose in a coherent, exhaustive and effective manner the contents learnt, using the appropriate metalanguage; to make conscious and critical use of bibliographical resources.
SKILLS RELATED TO PRACTICAL CLASSES: : to be able to express himself / herself, both oral and written, with clarity, describing his / her point of view or developing arguments through complex sentences and lexical choices relevant to the subject, without hesitation or unnecessary repetitions; to adapt the linguistic choices according to the formal / informal register appropriate to the situation. The control of morphosyntactic structures will be constant and will allow the production of speeches without systematic errors.
SKILLS: to acquire confidence in the analysis of graphic units; to develop effective strategies in the prevention and correction of spelling errors; to expose in a coherent, exhaustive and effective manner the contents learnt, using the appropriate metalanguage; to make conscious and critical use of bibliographical resources.
SKILLS RELATED TO PRACTICAL CLASSES: : to be able to express himself / herself, both oral and written, with clarity, describing his / her point of view or developing arguments through complex sentences and lexical choices relevant to the subject, without hesitation or unnecessary repetitions; to adapt the linguistic choices according to the formal / informal register appropriate to the situation. The control of morphosyntactic structures will be constant and will allow the production of speeches without systematic errors.
Lesson period: year
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
year
Course syllabus
As the notions of phonetics (first year) and lexical neology (second year) have been acquired, the monographic course in the third year focuses on the functioning of the French spelling, which involves a phonographic dimension and a lexical/grammatical dimension. It also aims to explore its formation and socio-cultural implications.
Title: "French orthography: rules, evolutions and variations"
A: The pluri-system and error analysis
B: The definition of the spelling rule and the practice of dictation
C: Beyond the standard: modernisation and variation
The course provides 9 cfu, therefore students will have to follow the complete program.
The course takes place in the second semester and is structured into three thematic sections. The first is a reflection on the formation of the French spelling system and on its operating principles in order to encourage critical reflection on errors; the second focuses on the factors that have favoured the standardisation of the written standard and the spread of the practice of dictation; the third traces the initiatives to revise the spelling system during the 20th century and introduces some non-standard uses of written French.
The course programme 2025/2026 is valid until September 2027.
Title: "French orthography: rules, evolutions and variations"
A: The pluri-system and error analysis
B: The definition of the spelling rule and the practice of dictation
C: Beyond the standard: modernisation and variation
The course provides 9 cfu, therefore students will have to follow the complete program.
The course takes place in the second semester and is structured into three thematic sections. The first is a reflection on the formation of the French spelling system and on its operating principles in order to encourage critical reflection on errors; the second focuses on the factors that have favoured the standardisation of the written standard and the spread of the practice of dictation; the third traces the initiatives to revise the spelling system during the 20th century and introduces some non-standard uses of written French.
The course programme 2025/2026 is valid until September 2027.
Prerequisites for admission
Lessons will be taught mainly in French. Textbooks and activities in class or for self study assume that students already have a linguistic competence of level B1+.
Teaching methods
The course adopts the following teaching methods: face-to-face lessons, practical activities. In addition, the course is complemented by practical classes, for which please refer to the specific sheet.
Teaching Resources
REFERENCE MATERIALS
For attending students
- collection of materials by the teacher (will be available on learning platform during the lessons)
- Jean-Christophe PELLAT, L'orthographe française. Histoire, Description, Enseignement; Paris, Ophrys, 2023
- Daniel LUZZATI, Le français et son orthographe; Paris, Didier, 2010
- Cécile NARJOUX, Le Grevisse de l'étudiant. Grammaire graduelle du français, Louvain-la-Neuve, DeBoeck supérieur, 2018 : pp. 59-92 "Éléments de description de la langue écrite" - disponibile in biblioteca (12LT. F03. 605O)
- Vitrine linguistique - https://vitrinelinguistique.oqlf.gouv.qc.ca/ (approfondimenti segnalati durante le lezioni)
For non attending students
- Jean-Christophe PELLAT, L'orthographe française. Histoire, Description, Enseignement; Paris, Ophrys, 2023
- Cécile NARJOUX, Le Grevisse de l'étudiant. Grammaire graduelle du français, Louvain-la-Neuve, DeBoeck supérieur, 2018 : pp. 41-58 (« Éléments de description de la langue orale »), 59-92 (« Éléments de description de la langue écrite) - disponibile in biblioteca (12LT. F03. 605O)
- André CHERVEL, « La dictée », in Histoire de l'enseignement français du XVIIe au XXe siècle, Paris, Editions Retz, 2006, pp. 319-326 - disponibile in biblioteca (12L.F. FL.43. 023)
- AA.VV., « Les performances en orthographe des élèves de CM2 toujours en baisse, mais de manière moins marquée en 2021. Enquête Orthographe 1987, 2007, 2015, 2021 », DEPP, Note d'information, n. 22.37, décembre 2022, pp. 1-4 - disponibile online : https://archives-statistiques-depp.education.gouv.fr/Default/digital-viewer/c-52659
- Bernadette WYNANTS, L'orthographe, une norme sociale : la construction sociale et les transformations de l'orthographe française, Sprimont, Mardaga, 1997, pp. 136-271 - disponibile in biblioteca (12LT. FL.22. 115)
- Jean-Pierre JAFFRÉ, « De la variation en orthographe », Éla. Études de linguistique appliquée, 2010/3 (n° 159), pp. 309-323 - disponibile online : https://www.cairn.info/revue-ela-2010-3-page-309.htm
- Louise-Amélie COUGNON, « Orthographe et langue dans les SMS. Conclusions à partir de quatre corpus francophones », Éla. Études de linguistique appliquée, 2010/4 (n°160), p. 397-410, https://www.cairn.info/revue-ela-2010-4-page-397.htm
- La nouvelle orthographe, parlons-en ! (Guida alle Rectifications orthographiques), file:///C:/Users/crist/Downloads/miniguide-2.pdf
For attending students
- collection of materials by the teacher (will be available on learning platform during the lessons)
- Jean-Christophe PELLAT, L'orthographe française. Histoire, Description, Enseignement; Paris, Ophrys, 2023
- Daniel LUZZATI, Le français et son orthographe; Paris, Didier, 2010
- Cécile NARJOUX, Le Grevisse de l'étudiant. Grammaire graduelle du français, Louvain-la-Neuve, DeBoeck supérieur, 2018 : pp. 59-92 "Éléments de description de la langue écrite" - disponibile in biblioteca (12LT. F03. 605O)
- Vitrine linguistique - https://vitrinelinguistique.oqlf.gouv.qc.ca/ (approfondimenti segnalati durante le lezioni)
For non attending students
- Jean-Christophe PELLAT, L'orthographe française. Histoire, Description, Enseignement; Paris, Ophrys, 2023
- Cécile NARJOUX, Le Grevisse de l'étudiant. Grammaire graduelle du français, Louvain-la-Neuve, DeBoeck supérieur, 2018 : pp. 41-58 (« Éléments de description de la langue orale »), 59-92 (« Éléments de description de la langue écrite) - disponibile in biblioteca (12LT. F03. 605O)
- André CHERVEL, « La dictée », in Histoire de l'enseignement français du XVIIe au XXe siècle, Paris, Editions Retz, 2006, pp. 319-326 - disponibile in biblioteca (12L.F. FL.43. 023)
- AA.VV., « Les performances en orthographe des élèves de CM2 toujours en baisse, mais de manière moins marquée en 2021. Enquête Orthographe 1987, 2007, 2015, 2021 », DEPP, Note d'information, n. 22.37, décembre 2022, pp. 1-4 - disponibile online : https://archives-statistiques-depp.education.gouv.fr/Default/digital-viewer/c-52659
- Bernadette WYNANTS, L'orthographe, une norme sociale : la construction sociale et les transformations de l'orthographe française, Sprimont, Mardaga, 1997, pp. 136-271 - disponibile in biblioteca (12LT. FL.22. 115)
- Jean-Pierre JAFFRÉ, « De la variation en orthographe », Éla. Études de linguistique appliquée, 2010/3 (n° 159), pp. 309-323 - disponibile online : https://www.cairn.info/revue-ela-2010-3-page-309.htm
- Louise-Amélie COUGNON, « Orthographe et langue dans les SMS. Conclusions à partir de quatre corpus francophones », Éla. Études de linguistique appliquée, 2010/4 (n°160), p. 397-410, https://www.cairn.info/revue-ela-2010-4-page-397.htm
- La nouvelle orthographe, parlons-en ! (Guida alle Rectifications orthographiques), file:///C:/Users/crist/Downloads/miniguide-2.pdf
Assessment methods and Criteria
Lessons consist of practical classes and a monographic course. The grade for the examination will be unique and will be given by the average of the results of the two parts, which must refer to the same programme and can be taken in free succession.
The programme is valid for oral examinations from June 2026 to September 2027 and for written examinations from May 2026 to January 2027.
The examination for the MONOGRAPHIC COURSE consists of an interview on the contents taught in the different parts of the course itself. Attending students will be able to take interim tests instead of the interview, which will be administered during the lessons and will be graded overall in thirtieths; they will also be allowed to prepare an oral exposé, in accordance with the outlines that will be provided during the lessons, in order to improve the overall grade of the exam up to a maximum of 2 additional points to be added to the overall grade average.
In the event of a negative result in the in itinere tests, the student must take the oral interview on the entire monographic course programme.
Please note that attending students have to come to the examination with all materials used in class.
Systematic errors in pronunciation or morphosyntax, as well as major lexical gaps, will not be allowed in the oral examinations.
The PRACTICAL CLASSES are organized in two groups divided by surname (groups 3A: A-K and 3B: L-Z). They prepare for a written test in 4 parts, to be taken during the written examinations from May 2026 onwards. The written test consists of: a listening comprehension test (from an audio source), a grammar test, a vocabulary test, a writing assignment (a monolingual dictionary may be used during this test),
Each part is marked in thirtieths: the written test is considered passed if there is no more than one part with a result lower than 18/30 and if the overall average is at least 18/30.
In itinere tests are provided for attending students.
The results obtained in the partial tests of the monographic course and the exercises cannot be rejected. Once the overall average between the results of the practical classes and the course has been established, the student may choose to reject the grade for French Language 3 and repeat the examination (written and oral).
INTERNATIONAL students or incoming ERASMUS students are invited to quickly contact the teacher. The examination procedures for students with disabilities and/or DSA must be agreed with the teacher, in accordance with the responsible Office.
The programme is valid for oral examinations from June 2026 to September 2027 and for written examinations from May 2026 to January 2027.
The examination for the MONOGRAPHIC COURSE consists of an interview on the contents taught in the different parts of the course itself. Attending students will be able to take interim tests instead of the interview, which will be administered during the lessons and will be graded overall in thirtieths; they will also be allowed to prepare an oral exposé, in accordance with the outlines that will be provided during the lessons, in order to improve the overall grade of the exam up to a maximum of 2 additional points to be added to the overall grade average.
In the event of a negative result in the in itinere tests, the student must take the oral interview on the entire monographic course programme.
Please note that attending students have to come to the examination with all materials used in class.
Systematic errors in pronunciation or morphosyntax, as well as major lexical gaps, will not be allowed in the oral examinations.
The PRACTICAL CLASSES are organized in two groups divided by surname (groups 3A: A-K and 3B: L-Z). They prepare for a written test in 4 parts, to be taken during the written examinations from May 2026 onwards. The written test consists of: a listening comprehension test (from an audio source), a grammar test, a vocabulary test, a writing assignment (a monolingual dictionary may be used during this test),
Each part is marked in thirtieths: the written test is considered passed if there is no more than one part with a result lower than 18/30 and if the overall average is at least 18/30.
In itinere tests are provided for attending students.
The results obtained in the partial tests of the monographic course and the exercises cannot be rejected. Once the overall average between the results of the practical classes and the course has been established, the student may choose to reject the grade for French Language 3 and repeat the examination (written and oral).
INTERNATIONAL students or incoming ERASMUS students are invited to quickly contact the teacher. The examination procedures for students with disabilities and/or DSA must be agreed with the teacher, in accordance with the responsible Office.
L-LIN/04 - LANGUAGE AND TRANSLATION - FRENCH - University credits: 9
Lessons: 60 hours
Professor:
Brancaglion Maria Cristina
Professor(s)
Reception:
Piazza S. Alessandro, 1 - sezione di francesistica