French-speaking Research Articles

The Impoverishment of Metaphysics in Pontus de Tyard’s Premier and Second Curieux

Abstract Pontus de Tyard may be well known as a poet of la Pléiade, also as the bishop of Chalon-sur-Saône towards the end of his life, yet throughout all these, he was a philosopher. He played an important part in the Royal Academy in promoting philosophy in the French language, being one of the first to write in French. His metaphysics is a good example of the poverty of philosophy in the Renaissance. His first philosophical works were devoted to the arts: Solitaire premier (1552) and Solitaire second (1555). Metaphysics appears for the first time in the Second Curieux (1578), when De l’Univers ou Discours de la nature du Monde et de ses parties, published 20 years prior, was divided into two parts. Hence one of the first metaphysics in French was born of physics and astronomy. There are three characters in Tyard’s Curieux: Curieux gathering all opinions he can find, Hieromnime expressing an orthodox theology, and Solitaire proposing in first person generally skeptical philosophical conclusions. The metaphysics of the future-bishop sometimes resemble a cabinet of curiosities, but with a theological guardrail. For metaphysical reasons, Tyard overpasses geocentrism and infinite universe to a universe in expansion of modern sciences.

When Language Is Not Enough: How to Explain ToM Abilities of Individuals with Williams Syndrome and Down Syndrome

This study examines the link between language abilities and Theory of Mind (ToM) development in individuals with Williams Syndrome (WS) and Down Syndrome (DS). We compared the results of 16 participants with WS, aged 6.3 to 27.2 years (Mean = 15.9 years, SD = 6.8 years), to those of 16 participants with DS, aged 10.7 to 23.9 years (Mean = 16.8 years, SD = 3.6 years). Using the French version of the ToM test-Revised (ToM test-R), we assessed three levels of ToM development: prerequisites, first-order beliefs, and second-order beliefs. Language abilities were evaluated using the Isadyle French language assessment battery, focusing on word comprehension, word production, syntax comprehension and production, and emotional lexicon. The results showed that the WS group performed significantly better in overall ToM skills in the ToM test-R compared to the DS group. Moreover, language skills were significantly associated with ToM development in the WS group, but not in the DS group. These findings underscore the importance of language development, particularly syntax and emotional understanding, in ToM acquisition. Through the application of a cross-syndrome approach, this study provides insights into how each syndrome impacts ToM development and the role of language in this process.

Linguistic Attitudes and Activities of Petras Klimas. Diplomat’s Written Language in Private Correspondence

The epistolary legacy of diplomat Petras Klimas is valuable not only in terms of disclosing the geopolitical, social and cultural reality of the interwar Lithuania and Europe, but also as an important corpus of manuscripts enabling us to trace the development of the written language. Having evaluated the field of P. Klimas’ activities that is currently rather overlooked by the modern scholarly discourse, i. e. his endeavors to accumulate the resources of the living language, to enhance the prestige of the Lithuanian language, and to solve issues related to its development, the author of the article identified the typical features of his written language and compiled a collection of paremias. The study is based on a hitherto unanalyzed correspondence of P. Klimas and his wife Bronislava Klimienė.An analysis of his personal writings has brought to light orthographical variations and causes, as well as the national attitudes reflected in his modified spelling. P. Klimas, it turns out, often inserted paremia, various French words and even words of his own making following Lithuanian standard word-formation, into his speech. This has allowed him to shape a unique, distinctive prose style that merges traditional (ethnic) and modern (Western) elements.

English/French code-switching in later medieval charters

The spoken use of French in later medieval England cannot be recovered, except insofar as it may be inferred from surviving documents. The use in medieval Latin charters of the French definite article (FA) determining an English Noun (EN) is here taken to be a textually preserved remnant of spoken usage. Following earlier work by Ingham (2009), the FA + EN phenomenon is studied quantitatively, showing that the FA + EN construction occurs where it would accord with code-switching constraints observed in contemporary bilingual communities. Attention is paid in particular to the appearance or otherwise of the phenomenon in contexts featuring a possessive and an adjectival modifier of the Noun, where a clear structural contrast is obtained, as predicted on the assumption that spoken code-switching lay behind the establishment of the charter text. It is further shown that FA+EN is more frequent with a monosyllabic than a polysyllabic Noun, for which a prosodic explanation is proposed, in keeping with the hypothesis that the phenomenon was originally oral. This support for the existence of spoken bilingualism from the 13th century onwards in a professional environment fits the timeframe, furthermore, for the well-known expansion in the penetration of French loan words into English. Alternative explanations that have been proposed for the FA + EN phenomenon are considered but found to be inadequate.

Leveraging Artificial Intelligence to Enhance Oral Communicative Skills in French Language Education

Leveraging Artificial Intelligence to Enhance Oral Communicative Skills in French Language Education

Tâche pour l’évaluation de la production et la compréhension de syntagmes nominaux complexes impliquant l’accord en genre en français.

Context. Few standardized tools exist to assess vocabulary, syntax and grammar in French. Objective. This study presents a tool, made of four entertaining puzzles, that can quickly assess proficiency in the production of noun phrases with color or size adjectives. Hypothesis: We'll observe a consolidation of adjective agreement between the ages of 3 and 6, but a mastery of gender assignment in the youngest children. Method. Data from 190 French-speaking children aged 3 to 9 are presented. We report results on four tasks of increasing difficulty involving adjectives of color and size (e.g., le petit canard vert ‘the small green duck’). Results. Our results enable one to situate a child's performance in relation to his or her peers, in a variety of ways. Risk thresholds, success rates and typical errors for each one-year age range are presented, as well as at what ages the tasks should be passed by a majority of children. Morphological or syntactic errors typical (or not) of children growing up in French-speaking environments are also reported. Conclusion. These quantitative and descriptive benchmarks can inform clinical assessment of speech-language therapists, whether with the task or from language corpora, and will inform reasoning leading to clinical decisions.

“The theatre’s full, the boxes glitter…” linguistic and cultural description

The article examines French borrowings, nominating the audience hall in theatrical terminology. We investigate the semantic history of linguistic modules related to the temple of art, the ones that affect such issues as interference and assimilation of linguistic units in written and oral speech. The relevance of the research is determined by the fact that the rapidly changing architecture of the spatial environment transforms the perception of personality in their awareness of spiritual values. A linguistic and cultural analysis was carried out in order to actualize the semiotic approach to architecture and reactivate the appeal to cultural heritage by studying the lexeme evolution in the sphere of art. In the study, we use the texts of the bilingual author and creator of the modern Russian literary language Alexander Pushkin, whose works contain the considered lexical units in the dynamics of the language system evolution at the semantic and phonetic levels. Our study also includes elements of comparative and contextual analyses (correlation of the analyzed phenomena in Pushkin’s context). The article presents a number of examples proving the historical relationship between the proto-language and the theatrical structure form, illustrating the phonographic and semantic changes of French units, and draws a parallel between the modern semantic complex and the archaic version of lexemes. Based on the results of the study, the article draws conclusions about the substitution of morphemic and non-morphemic segments in the process of contact between the French and Russian languages, presenting the most frequent variants of phonographic changes in the nomination of the auditorium. The results obtained are important for the revival of cultural values, the study of the lexeme interference in specific terminology and the activation of interest in both the work of A. Pushkin and theater building architecture.

Small-Format Texts in the Practice of Teaching Translation and Interpretation for Professional Purposes

The article analyzes the possibilities of using small-format texts of various discourses in the practice of teaching translation and interpretation for professional purposes. The authors consider the possibilities of using small-format texts various types (texts of social and commercial advertising, posters, synopses, trailers and shorts of authentic films, cartoons, messages in social networks, texts of news briefs. etc.) as new types of authentic texts used for the purpose of teaching translation and interpretation to students of various specialties. The purpose of the article is to identify the features of using small-format texts in the practice of teaching French as a foreign language to students of various specialties. In the course of considering this issue, we paid the main attention to the selection criteria for small-format texts used for educational purposes, as well as the development of a set of exercises based on the use of small-format texts in translation training (using the French language as an example). The research methodology includes the methods of discourse analysis, content analysis and the method of continuous sampling for the selection of research materials (small-format texts), the linguocultural method for assessing the educational potential of the small-format texts under consideration, as well as the method of compiling exercises to develop a set of multidirectional exercises for teaching students translation techniques and methods in the professional sphere. We used the method of verification and validation of question-answer forms to develop a questionnaire, which is a consistent approbation and development of a questionnaire, to obtain adequate survey data to assess the quality of the small-format texts implementation in translation teaching practice. As a result of the study, the authors developed a set of methodological recommendations for the use and selection of small-format texts applicable for educational purposes, as well as a set of exercises using small-format texts of various discursive genesis, applied at different stages of the lesson. This study may be of interest to researchers and practicing teachers in the field of teaching foreign languages in general and the French language in particular, teaching translation and interpretation for special purposes, and university teachers from the point of view of using new types of authentic texts in the practice of teaching and training and translation practice.

L’utilisation de ChatGPT 3.5 pour la rétroaction corrective écrite interactive en enseignement-apprentissage du français langue seconde : une étude exploratoire

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools are becoming increasingly accessible, which makes it imperative to critically examine their potential impact in the educational environment, as well as the ways in which they can be integrated to enable learners to benefit from them. ChatGPT (OpenAI, 2022) is a conversational GenAI tool with which users can interact. The interactive nature of this tool seems to suggest affordances in language teaching and learning, specifically for textual revision. This exploratory study focuses on the use of ChatGPT for interactive written corrective feedback (WCF) in French as a second language. Participants (n=22) were French as a second language learners in a second-year university course. They first answered a questionnaire about their self-corrective practices for French writing tasks. Then, during a one-off intervention, they interacted with ChatGPT to solicit interactive WCF during synchronous exchanges. Finally, the participants answered a questionnaire about this experience and their perceptions of AI. A taxonomic analysis (Bilmes, 2009) within the framework of a qualitative content analysis (Selvi, 2019) was undertaken to develop typologies to classify the messages in the collected discussion threads. The quality of ChatGPT’s responses was also analyzed. The results show that many different types of prompts were created, but there were discrepancies in the degree of participant engagement. That said, the vast majority of participants claim to have benefited from this experience. ChatGPT’s responses were largely correct and appropriate, but the quality of the prompt was found to affect the quality of the response it solicits. The results of this study seem to demonstrate that ChatGPT could be a useful tool for interactive WCF in French language learning, however, more research is needed.

Circulation of the French language literature and the Croatian publishers in transition and post-transition periods

Cet article est basé sur une recherche dont l’objectif est de déterminer les modalités de circulation de la littérature de langue française traduite en croate à partir de 1991. Nous nous intéressons principalement à la place de la littérature de langue française dans les catalogues des maisons d’édition croates, aux critères de sélection des titres à traduire, aux subventions disponibles, à la coopération avec les différents acteurs du champ littéraire et aux stratégies marketing utilisées pour promouvoir les livres traduits. Après une présentation de l’industrie de l’édition croate et des traductions littéraires du français entre 1991 et 2020, nous traitons et analysons les données recueillies par le biais d’une enquête adressée aux éditeurs croates via la plateforme en ligne LimeSurvey. Ensuite, nous présentons nos conclusions concernant la circulation des textes littéraires français dans la culture croate à partir de 1991, la position de la littérature traduite dans la culture et la société croates, les conditions sociales de la production littéraire, la logique du marché, la structure du champ littéraire et la circulation transnationale des textes littéraires.

Tysk som tillægskompetence – lærendes motivation, behov og erfaringer

This study explores how L2 learners of German as an Additional Competence (GAC) reflect on motivation, needs, expectations, experiences, and persistence. GAC is a new initiative that was launched in 2022 at Aalborg University, supported by a special budget from the Danish Ministry of Education and Research for boosting German and French language skills in higher education in Denmark. At Aalborg University, GAC is offered as courses outside of the academic curricula and ECTS system. To evaluate and further develop this new initiative, we have conducted 14 semi-structured interviews with course participants to inquire about their motivation, needs, expectations, and experiences. Theoretically and methodologically, the study is based on Dörnyei’s (2005) model of Motivational Self System in second language (L2) acquisition, the concept of target needs by Hutchinson and Waters (1987), Unger’s (2022) study of narrative constructions of needs in foreign language teaching, and Tinto’s (2020) concept of persistence, involving self-efficacy, sense of belonging, and perception of curriculum. The study provides insights into a broad variety of motivational factors, needs, persistence, and experiences from both previous German language learning and the GAC-courses. The findings of the study point towards both career-strategic and personal goals as key factors for the motivation of the participants. Moreover, their perceived needs focus on the enhancement of practical language skills. Accordingly, most participants expect the courses to allow for extensive training and practical exercises. Also, an informal and safe atmosphere to overcome a fear of speaking and making mistakes are desirable and form a contrast to the participants’ prior learning experiences, and it seems that participants need both academical and social support in their learning.

Performance of ChatGPT in French language analysis of multimodal retinal cases.

Prior literature has suggested a reduced performance of large language models (LLMs) in non-English analyses, including Arabic and French. However, there are no current studies testing the multimodal performance of ChatGPT in French ophthalmology cases, and comparing this to the results observed in the English literature. We compared the performance of ChatGPT-4 in French and English on open-ended prompts using multimodal input data from retinal cases. GPT-4 was prompted in English and French using a public dataset containing 67 retinal cases from the ophthalmology education website OCTCases.com. The clinical case and accompanying ophthalmic images comprised the prompt, along with the open-ended question: "What is the most likely diagnosis?" Systematic prompting was used to identify and compare relevant factor(s) contributing to correct and incorrect responses. Diagnostic accuracy was the primary outcome, defined as the proportion of correctly diagnosed cases in French and English. Diagnoses were compared with the answer key on OCTCases to confirm correct or incorrect responses. Clinically relevant factors reported by the LLM as contributory to its decision-making were secondary endpoints. The diagnostic accuracies of GPT-4 in English and French were 35.8% and 28.4%, respectively (χ2, P=0.36). Imaging findings were reported as most influential for correct diagnosis in English (37.5%) and French (42.1%) (P=0.76). In incorrectly diagnosed cases, imaging findings were primarily implicated in English (35.6%) and French (33.3%) (P=0.81). In incorrectly diagnosed cases, the differential diagnosis list contained the correct diagnosis in 39.5% of English cases and 41.7% of French cases (P=0.83). Our results suggest that GPT-4 performed similarly in English and French on all quantitative performance metrics measured. Ophthalmic images were identified in both languages as critical for correct diagnosis. Future research should assess LLM comprehension through the clarity, grammatical, cultural, and idiomatic accuracy of its responses.

Moroccan eating habits during COVID-19 lockdown: a preliminary analysis

The present study investigated the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on dietary habits. Data were collected from an online survey (n = 171, out of 315 initial respondents) during the lockdown period from April to June 2020. The questionnaire was provided in Arabic, French, and English language and divided into five sections: sociodemographic and socioeconomic information, eating motivations, food consumption frequency, food-related behaviors, and purchase priorities. The results showed that health and pleasure were the primary perceived changes in eating motivations caused by the pandemic. The results of cluster analysis exhibited that individuals from cluster 1 with “Good Habits” had not changed their consumption frequency of food during the lockdown. In contrast, cluster 2 with “Bad Habits” showed higher consumption of salty snacks, chocolates, cakes, cookies, and processed foods (p < 0.001) than the period before the pandemic. On the other hand, the priority to purchase frozen vegetables, chocolates, and canned beans and legumes was observed to increase in cluster 2 during the lockdown period (p = 0.02, p = 0.005, and p = 0.001, respectively). The COVID-19 pandemic had a discernible impact on Moroccan dietary habits, emphasizing the need to fully understand the long-term effects. The observed changes highlight the importance of promoting healthy eating habits, especially during times of crisis. By analyzing the shifts in food consumption and the underlying motivations, policymakers can develop targeted interventions to support healthier dietary choices among the Moroccan population, contributing to improved public health outcomes.

Leveraging technology and artificial intelligence to revolutionize French language proficiency: A comprehensive framework for modern curriculum design

The integration of technology and artificial intelligence (AI) in language education has the potential to revolutionize how French is taught and learned in the modern era. This paper explores a comprehensive framework for modernizing the French language curriculum, emphasizing the transformative role of AI-driven tools in enhancing learner engagement, accessibility, and fluency. It examines advancements such as adaptive learning systems, AI-powered tutors, speech recognition, and gamification, highlighting their ability to personalize instruction and foster immersive learning experiences. Key features of a technology-driven curriculum, including alignment with CEFR standards and inclusivity for diverse learners, are discussed. The paper also addresses challenges such as cost, infrastructure limitations, and ethical concerns related to data privacy and the role of human educators. Recommendations focus on teacher training, infrastructure investment, and collaborative policy development to ensure the successful implementation of AI-enhanced curricula. By leveraging AI's potential while maintaining ethical standards, this approach aims to make French language education more efficient, interactive, and inclusive, meeting the demands of a globalized world. Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, French Language Education, Technology-Driven Curriculum, Adaptive Learning Systems, Immersive Learning, Educational Innovation.

Transforming French language education through multilingual curriculum development: Innovative strategies for culturally inclusive and adaptive learning

This paper explores the transformative potential of multilingual curriculum development in French language education, emphasizing innovative strategies to foster cultural inclusivity and adaptability. It highlights the theoretical foundations of multilingualism, underscoring its role in enhancing linguistic proficiency, cognitive development, and cultural awareness. The study examines approaches to integrating French with other languages, leveraging technology, and adapting teaching methods to diverse cultural backgrounds. Furthermore, it evaluates the impacts of multilingual curricula on learner outcomes while addressing challenges such as resource constraints, curriculum design complexities, and societal resistance. The paper concludes with actionable recommendations for policymakers, educators, and curriculum developers to overcome these obstacles and create inclusive educational environments. Ultimately, this work advocates for multilingual education as a cornerstone of preparing students for success in an interconnected and culturally diverse world. Keywords: Multilingual Curriculum, French Language Education, Cultural Inclusivity, Adaptive Learning Strategies, Educational Innovation, Linguistic Proficiency.

Cultural Symbols in Teaching French as a Foreign Language

The article deals with methodological issues related to ensuring the presence of French culture in practical classes of French, with the focus that culture is an integral part of the language and provides comprehensive acquisition of the French language. This culturally related material during classes gives students the opportunity to gain knowledge about France, including current topics. When working with cultural issues students can deepen and build systematic knowledge of the country (France), its history, geography, population, political system, literature and more, as well as understand the French people’s characteristics, traditions and customs. This article will mainly look at the contemporary French language, vocabulary and spelling. In the process of teaching students modern French there is a need to discuss also French people’s character traits, beliefs and values, behaviour, sense of humour, relaxation and entertainment, eating and drinking, health and hygiene, and the government. Efficient use of culture in learning French depends on its systematic and systemic classroom practice throughout the school year.

French language instruction in Galicia (1867–1939): Analysis of curricula, programs, and methodologies

This study investigates the evolution of French language teaching methodologies in Galicia from 1867 to 1939, with a particular focus on the transition from the grammar-translation and text-translation methods to the direct method. Utilizing a historical-analytical approach, the research draws upon a wide range of primary sources, including educational curricula, pedagogical reports, and theoretical works by contemporary educators. The study reveals that the early period of French language instruction in Galicia was dominated by methods that prioritized the systematic mastery of grammar through deductive learning, where reading and translating texts played a central role. Writing has been seen as the ultimate goal of language acquisition, while speaking was often relegated to a secondary position. However, a significant shift occurred by the end of the 19th century, influenced by contemporary linguistic theories such as Neogrammarianism and psychological principles like Gestalt psychology. These new approaches emphasized the importance of oral communication, the contextual understanding of language, and the integration of cultural knowledge into language instruction. The direct method, which emerged during this period, aimed to teach French in a more practical and communicative manner, encouraging students to speak the language from the outset and use it in everyday situations. Despite the shift towards the direct method, the study notes that some traditional practices, such as the use of the native language for explaining grammatical concepts, continued to persist. This research concludes that the evolution of French language teaching in Galicia was characterized by a gradual but profound transformation towards more communicative and student-centered approaches, which laid the groundwork for modern language pedagogy in the region. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the historical development of language teaching methods and suggest areas for further research, particularly in the long-term impacts of these pedagogical shifts on contemporary language education practices.

French subject doubling

This paper revisits the status of subject clitics in Spoken French by studying subject doubling as a sociolinguistic variable. In the literature, two influential analyses have been proposed to account for French subject doubling. Based on new evidence from a corpus study on the large Multicultural Paris French (MPF) corpus, we argue for an analysis reconciling these two competing views of the construction in Spoken (colloquial) French. On one hand, we provide further support to the morphological approach (Auger, 1994; Culbertson, 2010) in which subject clitics are morphological agreement markers on the verb. On the other hand, we argue based on new evidence that lexical subjects are topicalized, as in the dislocation analysis. Furthermore, we argue that Spoken French is in a diglossia situation where speakers alternate structures provided by both Standard French and Colloquial French grammars. This paper provides further evidence of how quantitative studies of language use can shed light on long-standing theoretical debates.

Constructing a web-accessible lexical database for core Tongan vocabulary

Abstract According to UNESCO. 2020. World atlas of languages, 3rd edn. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Available at: https://en.wal.unesco.org, the Tongan language is classified as ‘potentially vulnerable.’ This study aimed to identify a core Tongan vocabulary and develop a web-searchable database to support the preservation and accessibility of the language. Due to the lack of a large-scale corpus for calculating lexical frequencies, we utilized vocabulary from the Students’ English-Tongan and Tongan-English Dictionary (Thompson, Richard H. &amp; ‘Ofa Thompson. 1992. The students’ English-Tongan and Tongan-English dictionary. Tonga: Faletohi ‘Otumotu Angl’ofa’), a resource commonly used in Tongan schools. This dictionary compiles words used in both Tongan and English in everyday life. By examining processing speed and accuracy rates in lexical decision tasks, we identified a core Tongan vocabulary. Lexical decision tasks conducted on 4,013 words from the dictionary demonstrated a mean accuracy of 95.40 % and a rapid mean reaction time of 575 ms. A comparative analysis with an equal number of high-frequency words in English (Balota, David A., Melvin J. Yap, Michael J. Cortese, Keith A. Hutchison, Brett Kessler, Bjorn Loftis, James H. Neely, Douglas L. Nelson, Greg B. Simpson &amp; Rebecca Treiman. 2007. The English lexicon project. Behavior Research Methods 39. 445–459) and French (Ferrand, Ludovic, Boris New, Marc Brysbaert, Emmanuel Keuleers, Patrick Bonin, Alain Méot, Maria Augustinova &amp; Christophe Pallier. 2010. The French Lexicon Project: Lexical decision data for 38,840 French words and 38,840 pseudowords. Behavior Research Methods 42. 488–496) revealed that Tongan words were processed more quickly, though with an average accuracy approximately 2 % lower than the English and French words. Despite this slight difference in accuracy, the overall comprehension level for Tongan words remained high, with accuracy exceeding 95 %. Given the faster processing speeds observed, we propose that these words represent a core vocabulary in Tongan. To facilitate access to this vocabulary, we developed a web-based search engine (https://tonganlex.vercel.app/), which provides detailed information on letter (grapheme) count, phonemes, moras, parts of speech, meanings, as well as lexical decision times and accuracies. This study contributes to the accessibility of the Tongan language by making essential lexical information readily available online.

A Feminist Critical Discourse Analysis of French and Turkish Dubbings of “Mona Lisa Smile” Movie

This study analyzes the original version, Turkish and French dubbings of the movie Mona Lisa Smile, through the Feminist Critical Discourse Analysis (FCDA) method. The study aims to reveal the potential of the Turkish and French dubs of the movie to reproduce gender stereotypes towards women. The movie was chosen through purposive sampling, one of the non-random sampling methods. The observation-notetaking technique was used as the data collection method.10 examples were determined. These discourses were analysed through the FCDA method by comparing the original version with its French and Turkish dubs on the Netflix platform. Gender-based discourses were seen to be preserved in all examples in the French language. In Turkish dubbing, serious losses occurred in all examples from the perspective of gender roles. This study is the first research evaluating the French and Turkish dubbings of an audiovisual product through FCDA; therefore, it presents authentic data for future studies.