UCL - Lexicology

[ROM2171]

[22.5h] 5 credits

This course is taught in the 2d semester.

Teacher(s): Cédrick Fairon

Language: French

Level: Second

Aims
Main themes
Content and teaching methods
Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Aims

Deepen knowledge of the lexical system mechanisms in synchrony. Become aware of the lexicon possibilities.

Main themes

Describe the main axes of the French lexicon mechanisms through structural (distributional) or constructional approaches. Reflect on the links between lexicon and grammar.

Content and teaching methods

In addition to the theoretical definition of a lexical unit (What is a word?), the course addresses multiple facets of lexicon, from the word (morpheme) to different forms of frozen expressions, not forgetting frozen sentences and proverbs, where lexicon and syntax meet.
The two forms of lexical creativity: endogenous neologisms (lexical morphology and semantic aspects) and loan words, will be addressed alternately.

Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Prerequisites : a linguistic background equivalent to the level of the Belgian "Bac en langues et littératures romanes".

Assessment : oral examination with personal work to be presented during the exam.

Course materials : detailed overview with select bibliography.