Learning outcomes

Learn to read and communicate in at least one language other than French.

Goals

This course is intended for students who have never studied Latin or who have only studied it for three years in secondary school. The aim of this course is to master the basic notions of the Latin language in the fields of vocabulary, morphology and syntax. At the end of this course, the student will be able to translate sentences or short texts of low difficulty.

Content

The course covers the fundamentals of vocabulary (the 1,000 'essential' words), morphology (declension of nouns, adjectives and pronouns; conjugation) and syntax (case functions, construction of independent clauses and subordinate clauses). At the same time, the reading of sentences and short texts introduces students to translation techniques, while offering a few insights into Roman civilisation.

 

Exercices

The course comprises 15 hours of exercises, plus weekly CAP sessions (https://www.unamur.be/lettres/cap). These exercises focus on points of morphology or translation techniques.

 

Teaching methods

The course comprises 45 hours of theory and 15 hours of exercises, spread over the first and second terms. Part of the teaching is based on the 'flipped classroom' principle: in the week preceding the lecture, students are invited to assimilate a point of theory (with the support of a Powerpoint and a video), which is then put into practice during the lecture.

In addition to the UE, the Cellule d'appui pédagogique (CAP) offers an optional weekly tutorial session (1 hour) with theoretical explanations and exercises on the subject of the previous course (https://www.unamur.be/lettres/cap). Sarah Bontyes is in charge of this practical session.

During the first four months of the course, students have the option of taking the "Ateliers grammaticaux", an optional practical course (1 hour) to reinforce grammatical analysis, based on French and Latin grammar. This course is taught by Anne Collard.

 

Assessment method

The teaching unit is subject to continuous written assessment. The 20 points of the final mark (in June) are distributed as follows:

  1. Test of mastery of the fundamentals of French grammatical analysis (during the January session): / 5
  2. Part-examination in January: / 7
  3. June exam: / 8

If a student fails the January part-examination, the 1st term subject is not reassessed in June; the January mark is included as it stands in the calculation of the final mark.

The examination in session 2 (August) does not include the various marks for continuous assessment. The August exam covers the entire EU (regardless of the result of the January exam).

 

Sources, references and any support material

The vocabulary to be assimilated as part of the course is compiled in a printed syllabus; it is also made available in an Excel file on Webcampus.

Theoretical presentations and exercises are based on PowerPoint presentations made available to students on Webcampus.

The following books are also recommended to students (without obligation):

 

  • A.-M. Boxus, Précis de grammaire latine, available online at http://bcs.fltr.ucl.ac.be/gramm/001.tabgram.html.
  • A.-M. Boxus, M. Lavency, Clavis. Latin grammar for reading authors. New edition with the collaboration of D. Longrée and G. Schouppe, De Boeck, 2014 (numerous reprints).
  • M. de Give, Latin Grammar, 15th edition, De Boeck, 2011.
  • Gaffiot de poche. Latin-French dictionary, Hachette, 2001.

Language of instruction

French