2023-24 Academic Catalog

Eloquence has been described as being able to say what is necessary and not say what is not. The idea of "speaking well" has changed over time and continues to evolve in French society. Can one speak well with an accent, with grammatical mistakes, with slang, or with curse words? How has France fabricated its language as a sacred treasure, and how has this vision excluded native and non-native French speakers? The history of eloquence will be complemented by its practice as students learn to master different registers of French language and learn to argue effectively. Prerequisite: French 204 or the equivalent