French Iii and Mediation
A.Y. 2025/2026
Learning objectives
This course aims to expand knowledge of the main features of the French language from a theoretical and applied perspective. Notably, it will cover practical aspects of lexicology and lexicography, as well as an in-depth study of economic and tourism texts. The course will focus on word formation strategies through the analysis of texts related to economics, tourism, sociology and anthropology, in line with the objectives of the degree programme. To strengthen their communication skills, students will be invited to prepare and give short presentations concerning their opinions on texts studied in class. The main focus will be on the written production of descriptive texts in the field of economics, sociology and tourism.
Expected learning outcomes
In addition to a deeper knowledge of grammar and syntax, the course aims to develop listening and reading skills, as well as spoken and written comprehension and production skills. Students will achieve proficiency in French at B2 level under the CEFR. By the end of the course, students will have acquired the linguistic skills required to manage communication in intercultural contexts (with particular reference to oral comprehension and production). Moreover, they will be able to paraphrase and summarise B2 level texts.
Lesson period: year
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
year
Course syllabus
The course consists of a monographic course, divided into four teaching units, and a series of exercises.
The objectives of the course are to acquire and enhance skills in the field of specialised communication (particularly in the legal, economic and institutional fields), and theoretical and practical knowledge relating to linguistic and cultural mediation and subtitling from French into Italian.
The first and second teaching units (first semester, Prof. Preite) on specialised communication aim to present the characteristics of specialised languages and discourses in all their complexity. In particular, the features that characterise it at the lexical, terminological and discursive levels will be highlighted. In addition, some textual genres through which specialised communication is expressed will be presented. Particular attention will be paid to consolidating skills in understanding specialised or popular written texts and oral production on the topics covered in the course.
The third and fourth teaching units (second semester) will focus on general aspects of linguistic and cultural mediation. Students will be introduced to the regulations and dynamics of mediation in these areas; they will also address the methods of conference interpreting and simultaneous translation. In the second part of the course, specific attention will be paid to subtitling, the particular translation methods and constraints that characterise this activity, with the aim of collaboratively producing Italian subtitles for one or more real documents in French. Without prejudice to the acquisition of the necessary theoretical knowledge, the course will be eminently practical in nature and students will be required to participate actively during lessons.
The objectives of the course are to acquire and enhance skills in the field of specialised communication (particularly in the legal, economic and institutional fields), and theoretical and practical knowledge relating to linguistic and cultural mediation and subtitling from French into Italian.
The first and second teaching units (first semester, Prof. Preite) on specialised communication aim to present the characteristics of specialised languages and discourses in all their complexity. In particular, the features that characterise it at the lexical, terminological and discursive levels will be highlighted. In addition, some textual genres through which specialised communication is expressed will be presented. Particular attention will be paid to consolidating skills in understanding specialised or popular written texts and oral production on the topics covered in the course.
The third and fourth teaching units (second semester) will focus on general aspects of linguistic and cultural mediation. Students will be introduced to the regulations and dynamics of mediation in these areas; they will also address the methods of conference interpreting and simultaneous translation. In the second part of the course, specific attention will be paid to subtitling, the particular translation methods and constraints that characterise this activity, with the aim of collaboratively producing Italian subtitles for one or more real documents in French. Without prejudice to the acquisition of the necessary theoretical knowledge, the course will be eminently practical in nature and students will be required to participate actively during lessons.
Prerequisites for admission
To take the French Language and Mediation 3 exam, students must have passed the French Language and Mediation 2 exam.
Teaching methods
The monographic course includes lectures aimed at learning and consolidating strategies for analysing specialised and informative discourse, as well as practical exercises in mediation and subtitling. Students will play an active role in the lessons, carrying out exercises designed to enhance their skills.
Teaching Resources
Bibliography for every student
Main course
Teaching units 1 and 2:
- Material provided by the professor on Ariel.
- M.T. Zanola, « La communication spécialisée », in M.T. Zanola (a cura di), Le français de nos jours. Caractères, formes, aspects, Carocci, Roma, 2023, pp. 109-130.
- Ch. Schmitt, « Vocabulaire général, vocabulaires techniques et scientifiques et la communication professionnelle », in W. Forner, B. Thorle (éds), Manuel des langues de spécialité, De Gruyter, Amsterdam, pp. 53-67.
The study of the texts indicated in the bibliography and the material made available by the lecturer is a fundamental part of the exam, of which the slides (which will be made available on Ariel) are only a supplement.
Additional bibliography for non-attending students, teaching units 1 and 2:
One additional volume to be chosen:
P. Lerat, Les langues spécialisées, PUF, Paris, 1995.
P. Lerat, Langue et Technique, Hermann, Paris, 2016.
Teaching units 3 and 4:
- P. Puccini, M. Vatz Laaroussi, C. Gélinas, La médiation interculturelle : aspects théoriques, méthodologies et pratiques, Torino, Hoepli, 2018 (chapters will be specified during te course)
- L. Dumas, Le sous-titrage : une pratique à la marge de la traduction, in « ELIS‒ Revue des jeunes chercheurs en linguistique de Paris-Sorbonne », vol. 2, 2014, pp. 129-144 (available on line : https://shs.hal.science/halshs-01090467/document)
- M. Boiron, É. Syssau, Le sous-titrage au cinéma et le doublage au cinéma, in « Traduire » [Les arts du spectacle], 243, 2020, pp. 7-19 (available on line : https://journals.openedition.org/traduire/2101)
- F. Buet, F. Yvon, Vers la production automatique de sous-titres adaptés à l'affichage, in « Actes de la 28e Conférence sur le Traitement Automatique des Langues Naturelles », Lille, France, 28 juin au 2 juillet 2021, pp. 91-104 (available on line : https://aclanthology.org/2021.jeptalnrecital-taln.8.pdf)
- Notes provided by the lecturer
Reading and studying the texts listed in the bibliography and the parts of the lecture notes that will be covered in class is a fundamental part of the exam and the course, of which the slides (which will be made available on Ariel) are only a supplement.
Bibliography for the ESERCITAZIONI
Résumé
- Wistuba Céline, Le résumé de texte. Conseils méthodologiques, Studyrama, 2017
Français des affaires
- J.-L. Penfornis, Affaires.com - Advanced Level B2-C1 (3rd edition) (B2-C1), CLE international, 2017
- Français des affaires French website (candidate section), organised by skill level, with online simulations and candidate guide (for students):
https://www.lefrancaisdesaffaires.fr/candidat/diplomes-francais-professionnel/dfp-affaires/presentation/
Grammar
Françoise Bidaud, Grammaire du français pour italophones, UTET, 2020.
Françoise Bidaud, Exercises in French Grammar for Italian Speakers, UTET, 2021.
Further information will be provided during the course and posted on the course's Ariel page.
Main course
Teaching units 1 and 2:
- Material provided by the professor on Ariel.
- M.T. Zanola, « La communication spécialisée », in M.T. Zanola (a cura di), Le français de nos jours. Caractères, formes, aspects, Carocci, Roma, 2023, pp. 109-130.
- Ch. Schmitt, « Vocabulaire général, vocabulaires techniques et scientifiques et la communication professionnelle », in W. Forner, B. Thorle (éds), Manuel des langues de spécialité, De Gruyter, Amsterdam, pp. 53-67.
The study of the texts indicated in the bibliography and the material made available by the lecturer is a fundamental part of the exam, of which the slides (which will be made available on Ariel) are only a supplement.
Additional bibliography for non-attending students, teaching units 1 and 2:
One additional volume to be chosen:
P. Lerat, Les langues spécialisées, PUF, Paris, 1995.
P. Lerat, Langue et Technique, Hermann, Paris, 2016.
Teaching units 3 and 4:
- P. Puccini, M. Vatz Laaroussi, C. Gélinas, La médiation interculturelle : aspects théoriques, méthodologies et pratiques, Torino, Hoepli, 2018 (chapters will be specified during te course)
- L. Dumas, Le sous-titrage : une pratique à la marge de la traduction, in « ELIS‒ Revue des jeunes chercheurs en linguistique de Paris-Sorbonne », vol. 2, 2014, pp. 129-144 (available on line : https://shs.hal.science/halshs-01090467/document)
- M. Boiron, É. Syssau, Le sous-titrage au cinéma et le doublage au cinéma, in « Traduire » [Les arts du spectacle], 243, 2020, pp. 7-19 (available on line : https://journals.openedition.org/traduire/2101)
- F. Buet, F. Yvon, Vers la production automatique de sous-titres adaptés à l'affichage, in « Actes de la 28e Conférence sur le Traitement Automatique des Langues Naturelles », Lille, France, 28 juin au 2 juillet 2021, pp. 91-104 (available on line : https://aclanthology.org/2021.jeptalnrecital-taln.8.pdf)
- Notes provided by the lecturer
Reading and studying the texts listed in the bibliography and the parts of the lecture notes that will be covered in class is a fundamental part of the exam and the course, of which the slides (which will be made available on Ariel) are only a supplement.
Bibliography for the ESERCITAZIONI
Résumé
- Wistuba Céline, Le résumé de texte. Conseils méthodologiques, Studyrama, 2017
Français des affaires
- J.-L. Penfornis, Affaires.com - Advanced Level B2-C1 (3rd edition) (B2-C1), CLE international, 2017
- Français des affaires French website (candidate section), organised by skill level, with online simulations and candidate guide (for students):
https://www.lefrancaisdesaffaires.fr/candidat/diplomes-francais-professionnel/dfp-affaires/presentation/
Grammar
Françoise Bidaud, Grammaire du français pour italophones, UTET, 2020.
Françoise Bidaud, Exercises in French Grammar for Italian Speakers, UTET, 2021.
Further information will be provided during the course and posted on the course's Ariel page.
Assessment methods and Criteria
LEARNING ASSESSMENT METHODS AND EVALUATION CRITERIA
Student assessment will take into account both the critical autonomy shown in the analysis of authentic texts and the (oral and written) communication skills achieved in relation to the theoretical topics covered.
The final assessment consists of a written test (A) and an oral test (B)
A) Written tests for attending students
The written part for attending students consists of three intermediate tests that will take place at the end of the first and second semesters.
1. technique du résumé test (first semester) 45 minutes
2. français des affaires commerciales test (first semester) 30 minutes
3. grammar test (second semester) 45 minutes
PLEASE NOTE
In order to obtain a final grade valid for replacing the written tests in the official exam sessions (May, September and January), students must pass each of the tests, the average of which will correspond to the overall grade obtained for the written part. The grade will be valid for three exam sessions.
Students who do not achieve a passing grade in one of the three tests will be excluded from taking the remaining tests and will have to take all three written tests in one of the exam sessions scheduled during the academic year (May, September, January) - see Written tests for non-attending students.
IMPORTANT - CONDITIONS FOR TAKING ONGOING EXAMS
1. Only students who, on 29 September 2025, have passed the French Language II exam in its entirety or have obtained a sufficient grade in the written exam will be eligible to take the intermediate exams for the French Language III course. Students who do not meet these requirements will not be able to take the intermediate exams for French Language III.
2. Students who, on 29 September 2025, only have a grade for the written exam for French Language II must pass the oral exam by the February 2026 session; otherwise, the intermediate exams for French Language III taken in the first semester will be cancelled.
WRITTEN EXAMS FOR NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS
In the official exam sessions (May, September, January), the written exam will consist of three tests:
1. technique du re'sume' test (first semester) 45 minutes
2. français des affaires commerciales test (first semester) 30 minutes
3. grammar test (second semester) 45 minutes
B) ORAL EXAM
The oral exam, which aims to assess linguistic and communication skills and the ability to apply the theoretical and methodological tools of the official course, consists of an interview in French on the topics covered in the programme, aimed at assessing both linguistic and content-related skills.
Student assessment will take into account both the critical autonomy shown in the analysis of authentic texts and the (oral and written) communication skills achieved in relation to the theoretical topics covered.
The final assessment consists of a written test (A) and an oral test (B)
A) Written tests for attending students
The written part for attending students consists of three intermediate tests that will take place at the end of the first and second semesters.
1. technique du résumé test (first semester) 45 minutes
2. français des affaires commerciales test (first semester) 30 minutes
3. grammar test (second semester) 45 minutes
PLEASE NOTE
In order to obtain a final grade valid for replacing the written tests in the official exam sessions (May, September and January), students must pass each of the tests, the average of which will correspond to the overall grade obtained for the written part. The grade will be valid for three exam sessions.
Students who do not achieve a passing grade in one of the three tests will be excluded from taking the remaining tests and will have to take all three written tests in one of the exam sessions scheduled during the academic year (May, September, January) - see Written tests for non-attending students.
IMPORTANT - CONDITIONS FOR TAKING ONGOING EXAMS
1. Only students who, on 29 September 2025, have passed the French Language II exam in its entirety or have obtained a sufficient grade in the written exam will be eligible to take the intermediate exams for the French Language III course. Students who do not meet these requirements will not be able to take the intermediate exams for French Language III.
2. Students who, on 29 September 2025, only have a grade for the written exam for French Language II must pass the oral exam by the February 2026 session; otherwise, the intermediate exams for French Language III taken in the first semester will be cancelled.
WRITTEN EXAMS FOR NON-ATTENDING STUDENTS
In the official exam sessions (May, September, January), the written exam will consist of three tests:
1. technique du re'sume' test (first semester) 45 minutes
2. français des affaires commerciales test (first semester) 30 minutes
3. grammar test (second semester) 45 minutes
B) ORAL EXAM
The oral exam, which aims to assess linguistic and communication skills and the ability to apply the theoretical and methodological tools of the official course, consists of an interview in French on the topics covered in the programme, aimed at assessing both linguistic and content-related skills.
L-LIN/04 - LANGUAGE AND TRANSLATION - FRENCH - University credits: 12
Lessons: 80 hours
Professor:
Preite Chiara
Professor(s)