Last updated: December 7, 2006 @ 11:45AM

Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures

Chair
Alexandre L. A. Amprimoz

Professors Emeriti
Leonard Rosmarin, Herbert Schutz

Professors
Alexandre L. A. Amprimoz (French), Sandra L. Beckett (French), Irene M. F. Blayer (Spanish), Leslie A. Boldt-Irons (French), Dennis F. Essar (French), Corrado J. A. Federici (Italian), Jane M. Koustas (French)

Associate Professors
Barry W. K. Joe (German), Cristina Santos (Spanish), Ernesto J. Virgulti (Italian)

Assistant Professors
May Bletz (Spanish), Tamara El-Hoss (French), Jean B. Ntakirutimana (French), Catherine Parayre (French and Comparative Literature), Felipe Ruan (Spanish)

General Information

Administrative Assistant
Alison J. Rothwell

905-688-5550, extension 3312
Mackenzie Chown A240
http://www.brocku.ca/modernlanguages

The Department of Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures offers a variety of courses and degree programs in French, Italian and Spanish as well as comparative and interdisciplinary courses in Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures (MLLC). The Department also offers courses in Arabic, German, Japanese, Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian and Swahili.

The Department of Modern Languages, Literatures and Cultures offers four-year programs of study leading to a BA Honours in French and Spanish, three-year BA Pass degree programs in French, Italian and Spanish, and a concurrent five-year BA(Honours)/BEd (Intermediate/Senior) degree in French. In addition the Department offers Minor programs in French, German, Italian and Spanish.

French, Italian and Spanish
Please consult the relevant entries for a listing of courses and program requirements.

The Department aims to provide students with a thorough and comprehensive knowledge of language (spoken and written), literature and culture. In addition to the courses taught in the language of each program, the Department provides a number of interdisciplinary courses combining subject matter selected from each of the language programs taught in English that are acceptable for credit toward a degree in any of the languages.

Students are encouraged to participate in one or more of the study programs in Québec, France, Italy, Portugal, Spain and Latin America.

One-Month Study in Portugal
This program offers students an opportunity to study for a month in the summer in Portugal. Students must consult with the Department prior to registration to determine the location.
Participants earn a credit in Portuguese language.

German
Students are encouraged to participate in both work and study abroad programs to improve fluency and experience German culture first-hand.

Program Notes
  1. Unless otherwise noted in the course description, courses numbered 2(alpha)00 and above are taught in the language while courses numbered 1F90 and below are taught in the language to the extent possible.
  2. GERM 1F00, 1F90 and 2F90 constitute a sequence. Once credit has been obtained in one of these courses, students are not allowed to take for credit a course in the language with a lower number in the sequence. Students may not take two courses at different levels in the sequence during the same term. This regulation also applies to courses taken at other institutions.
  3. The Department reserves the right to refuse admission to and/or credit for any of its language courses to a student who has, in the view of the Department, a level of competence unsuited to that course.
  4. A minor program may include no more than one-half GERM credit given in English.
  5. In all 20 credit degree programs, at least 12 credits must be numbered 2(alpha)00 or above, six of which must be numbered 2(alpha)90 or above and of these, three must be numbered 3(alpha)90 or above. In all 15 credit degree programs, at least seven credits must be numbered 2(alpha)00 or above, three of which must be numbered 2(alpha)90 or above.

Minor in German

Students in other disciplines may obtain a Minor in German within their degree program by completing the following courses with a minimum 60 percent overall average:
·   GERM 1F90 and 2F90
·   one GERM credit (see program note 4)
·   one GERM literature and/or culture credit numbered 2(alpha)00 or above (see program note 4)

Course Descriptions

Note that not all courses are offered in every session. Refer to the applicable term timetable for details.

# Indicates a cross listed course
* Indicates primary offering of a cross listed course

Prerequisites and Restrictions

Students must check to ensure that prerequisites are met. Students may be deregistered, at the request of the instructor, from any course for which prerequisites and/or restrictions have not been met.

ARABIC
ARAB 1F00
Introductory Classical Arabic
Arabic script; grammatical structures and vocabulary of classical Arabic. Development of the four basic language skills (reading, writing, speaking and listening).
Lectures, tutorial, 4 hours per week.
Note: open to students with no background in the language.


GERMAN
GERM 1F00
Introductory Language
Basic skills; conversational patterns, reading ability; emphasizing the spoken language using films, tapes and recordings.
Lectures, language/computer lab, 4 hours per week.

GERM 1F90
Intermediate Language I
Intermediate level. Conversational and written language skills. Introduction to 20th-century German literature using language / computer laboratory, films, tapes and recordings.
Lectures, language/computer lab, 4 hours per week.
Prerequisite: GERM 1F00, Ontario grade 12U German or permission of the instructor.

GERM 1P93
Culture and Civilization of Central Europe: From the Prehistoric to the Carolingian Period
(also offered as CLAS 1P93)
Cultural development of central Europe from the earliest stone and pottery cultures, through the Bronze and Iron Ages, the Celts and Romans. Beliefs and practices, artistic style and architecture. Slides are used to illustrate the cultural evidence.
Lectures, 3 hours per week.
Note: given in English.

GERM 2F90
Intermediate Language II
Intensive study of present-day German language and culture designed to improve communication skills.
Lectures, language lab, 3 hours per week.
Prerequisite: GERM 1F90 or permission of the instructor.

GERM 2F92
Language and Literature of the 19th and 20th Centuries
Intensive study of short literary and socio-cultural texts designed to expand both active and passive vocabularies, comprehension, speaking and writing skills.
Lectures, 3 hours per week.
Prerequisite: GERM 1F90 or permission of the instructor.

GERM 2P80
Tutorial I
Study in an area of language or literature of mutual interest to the student and the instructor.
Tutorial, 3 hours per week.
Restriction: permission of the instructor.
Note: a written proposal must be approved by the Chair.
Completion of this course will replace previous assigned grade and credit obtained in GERM 4P16.

GERM 2P94
German Culture and Civilization: The Carolingians to the Present
Survey of German culture and civilization. Topics may include art, architecture, cultural objects, literature and film.
Lectures, 3 hours per week.
Prerequisite: GERM 1P93 or permission of the instructor.
Note: given in English. Students doing a Minor in German are required to read literature in the original and to submit essays in German.
Completion of this course will replace previous assigned grade and credit obtained in GERM 1P94.

GERM 3F99
Advanced Language Study
Fluency at an advanced level in speaking, writing and comprehension through tapes, films, written and oral projects, discussions and advanced interpreting and translating.
Lectures, lab, 3 hours per week.
Prerequisite: GERM 2F90 or permission of the instructor.

GERM 3P80
Tutorial II
Advanced study in an area of language or literature of mutual interest to the student and the instructor.
Tutorial, 3 hours per week.
Restriction: permission of the instructor.
Note: a written proposal must be approved by the Chair.


JAPANESE
JAPA 1F00
Introductory Japanese
Acquisition of language skills, such as writing (Hiragana, Katakana, and Kanji), reading, listening, and speaking as well as some knowledge of Japanese culture.
Lectures, tutorial, 4 hours per week.
Note: for students with no background in the Japanese language.
Completion of this course will replace previous assigned grade and credit obtained in JAPA 1P00 and 1P01.

JAPA 1F80
Intermediate Japanese
Further development of Japanese grammar, writing, reading and communication skills emphasizing socio-cultural situations.
Lectures, 3 hours per week.
Prerequisite: JAPA 1F00 (1P00 and 1P01) or permission of the instructor.
Completion of this course will replace previous assigned grade and credit obtained in JAPA 1P80 and 1P81.


MANDARIN CHINESE
MAND 1P00
Mandarin Chinese I
Elementary Mandarin focussing on conversation, listening, basic grammatical structures and understanding of relevant customs. Introduction to Pinyin.
Lectures, tutorial, 4 hours per week.
Note: open to students with limited or no background in the language.

MAND 1P01
Mandarin Chinese II
Conversational Mandarin emphasizing vocabulary building, grammatical structures, customs and cultural knowledge. Introduction of Chinese characters.
Lectures, tutorial, 4 hours per week.
Prerequisite: MAND 1P00 or permission of the instructor.

MAND 1P80
Mandarin Chinese III
Basic written and oral skills for everyday needs emphasizing practical communication and reading of Chinese characters.
Lectures, tutorial, 4 hours per week.
Prerequisite: MAND 1P01 or permission of the instructor.

MAND 1P81
Mandarin Chinese IV
Written and oral skills, further development of vocabulary and grammatical structures focussing on writing Chinese characters for practical text development.
Lectures, tutorial, 4 hours per week.
Prerequisite: MAND 1P80 or permission of the instructor.

MODERN LANGUAGES, LITERATURES AND CULTURES
MLLC 1P90
Introduction to Romance Linguistics
The science of language, focussing on linguistic structures of Romance languages (phonetics, morpho-lexicology, syntax, semantics) and illustrated by examples from various Romance languages (French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese).
Lectures, 3 hours per week.
Prerequisite: one of Grade 12U credit in French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, FREN 1P03, FREN 1F00, ITAL 1F00, 1F01, PORT 1F00, SPAN 1F00.
Note: Given in English. Major credit will not be granted to French, Italian or Spanish majors.

MLLC 2P94
Comparative Analysis of Romance Languages
(also offered as LING 2P94)
Romance languages; their structures, related concepts, differences and mutual influences.
Lectures, 3 hours per week.
Note: given in English. May be counted as part of a major program in French, Italian or Spanish.

MLLC 3P94
Translation Studies
Historical and contemporary perspectives on translation theory and practice. Topics may include the role of the translator, comparative/contrastive analysis, intercultural equivalence and interference, problems in literary and technical translations.
Lectures, seminar, 3 hours per week.
Prerequisite: one of FREN 2F00, GERM 2F90, ITAL 2F00, SPAN 2P20 and 2P21 (2F10) or permission of the instructor.
Note: given in English. May be counted as part of a major program in French, German, Italian or Spanish.

MLLC 3P95
The Contemporary Picture Book
Selection of contemporary children's picture books from around the world. Dialogue between text and image. Theory of the picture book.
Lectures, 3 hours per week.
Prerequisite: one of FREN 2F03, GERM 2F90, ITAL 2F00, SPAN 2P20 and 2P21 (2F10) or permission of the instructor.
Note: given in English. May be counted as part of a major program in French, Italian or Spanish.

MLLC 3P97
Immigrant Experiences: Narratives of Immigration and Acculturation in the Americas
Characteristics of immigration to the Americas from a comparative perspective, focussing on major destinations for transatlantic migrants in the Americas. Questions of ethnicity and cultural identity; the experiences of immigrants of Italian, French, German, Portuguese and Spanish-speaking backgrounds. Topics may include generational theories, concepts of the melting pot and works of fiction and non-fiction.
Lectures, 3 hours per week.
Prerequisite: one of FREN 2F03, GERM 2F90, ITAL 2F00, SPAN 2P20 and 2P21 (2F10) or permission of the instructor.

MLLC 3P99
Modern Narratives
(also offered as GBLS 3P99)
French, German, Italian and Hispanic 20th-century narrative writing. May include avant-garde, surrealist, existentialist, modernist and postmodernist issues.
Lectures, seminar, 3 hours per week.
Prerequisite: one of FREN 2F03, GERM 2F90, ITAL 2F00, SPAN 2P20 and 2P21 (2F10) or permission of the instructor.
Note: given in English. May be counted as part of a major program in French, Italian or Spanish.
Completion of this course will replace previous assigned grade and credit obtained in MLLC 3P93.

MLLC 3Q90
Foreign Languages and Information Technology
Teaching methodologies and learning styles; evaluation of digital technologies; on-line, specialized software and internet resources in second language acquisition (French, German, Italian and Spanish).
Lectures 3 hours per week.
Prerequisites: two FREN, GERM, ITAL, MLLC or SPAN credits numbered 2(alpha)00 or above or permission of the instructor.
Note: given in English. May be counted as part of a major program in French, Italian or Spanish.

MLLC 4P01
History of Romance Languages
Formation and evolution of the Romance languages from their origins to the present. Factors affecting language change: internal history (sounds and inflection) and external forces (politics, society, thought).
Lectures, 3 hours per week.
Note: given in English. May be counted as part of a major program in French, Italian and Spanish.


PORTUGUESE
PORT 1F00
Introductory Portuguese
Listening, reading, writing and speaking; emphasizing a communicative approach to learning a language.
Lectures, 3 hours per week.
Note: for students with no background in Portuguese.

PORT 1F90
Intermediate Portuguese
Review of Portuguese grammar emphasizing written and oral practice. Introduction to Portuguese and Brazilian literary and cultural readings, as well as to topics of current interest.
Lectures, 3 hours per week.
Prerequisite: PORT 1F00 or permission of the instructor.

PORT 1P95
Conquest and Colonization
(also offered as SPAN 1P95)
Creation of a new culture founded on Amerindian, Iberian and African traditions; visual arts, architecture, literature and music; disparity between cultural identity and economic and political identity, utopian ideals, alienation through imitation, rediscovery of autochthonous cultural models.
Lectures, 3 hours per week.
Note: given in English.

PORT 2P10
Latin American Culture Since Independence
(also offered as INTL 2P10 and SPAN 2P10)
Survey of contemporary social history; the Latin American nations through text and images. Topics include cultural hybridization and identity.
Lectures, 3 hours per week.
Note: given in English. Spanish majors complete written assignments and exams in Spanish.

PORT 2P11
Iberian Culture
(also offered as INTL 2P11 and SPAN 2P11)
Social, political and cultural history of Portugal and Spain through historical and literary texts, film and other visual arts.
Lectures, 3 hours per week.
Note: given in English. Spanish majors complete written assignments and exams in Spanish.

PORT 2P82
Latin American and Iberian Film
(also offered as FILM 2P82 and PORT 2P82)
Spanish and Latin American representations of identity crises involving issues of nationality, ethnicity, gender, religion and politics. Pastiche, parody and camp aesthetics, and the envisioning of new possibilities of solidarity leading to social transformations.
Lectures, 3 hours per week; plus weekly film lab.
Prerequisite: SPAN 1F90 or permission of the instructor.
Note: Spanish and Portuguese language films with English subtitles. Given in English. Spanish majors complete written assignments and exams in Spanish.

PORT 3P94
Iberian Narrative
(also offered as SPAN 3P94)
Themes and narrative techniques that characterize the works of major 20th-century authors as well as contemporary Spanish and Portuguese authors.
Lectures, 3 hours per week.
Prerequisite: SPAN 2P20 and 2P21 (2F10) or permission of the instructor.
Note: taught in Spanish.

PORT 4P10
Readings in Medieval Iberian Narrative
(also offered as SPAN 4P10)
Development of narrative traditions through the early 15th century and their historical contexts.
Lectures, 3 hours per week.
Prerequisites: SPAN 2P20 and 2P21 (2F10) or permission of the instructor.
Note: taught in Spanish


RUSSIAN
RUSS 1F00
Introductory Russian
Development of the basic skills in language proficiency (reading, writing, speaking and comprehension).
Lectures, 4 hours per week.


SWAHILI
SWAH 1F00
Introductory Kiswahili
Fundamental conversation skills and basic grammatical structures of Kiswahili, focussing on the four basic language skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing. Introduction to major aspects of contemporary Kiswahili culture.
Lectures, 3 hours per week.
Note: open to students with no background in the language.