Exploring the French Language

by R. Anthony Lodge, Nigel Armstrong, Yvette M.L. Ellis

Do you know what 'verlan' or French 'backslang' is? Was President Mitterand 'câblé'? The French language is more than just a tool for communication; it has a crucial role to play in how native speakers of French think about the world and about themselves and their culture. This book helps students develop a systematic 'linguistic' approach to French. It covers the core topics, ranging from the structure and sounds of the language to discourse and everyday conversation. No previous knowledge of linguistics is assumed and a glossary of technical terms and many exercises and activities help reinforce key points. Students will find that their understanding and enjoyment of the French language is greatly enhanced by this book.

Paperback

First published May 2, 1997

Reviews

[Rachel]

This text is great. The only thing I would've wanted to see would be a translation of some of the linguistic terminology into French, but that's because the course I read this for was taught in French and I often had trouble finding the equivalent term in French. Apart from that, this is a great introduction to French linguistics and I really enjoyed reading through it.