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The Vocabulary of Modern French
The Vocabulary of Modern French provides a fresh insight into contemporary French.
With this book, Hilary Wise offers the first comprehensive overview of the modern French its historical sources, formal organisation and social and stylistic functions.
Topics covered
* external influences on the language
* word formation
* semantic change
* style and register
In addition, the author looks at the relationship between social and lexical change and examines attempts at intervention in the development of the language.
Each chapter is concluded by notes for further reading, and by suggestions for project work which are designed to increase awareness of specific lexical phenomena and enable the student-reader to use lexicographic databases of all kinds.
The Vocabulary of Modern French is an accessible and fascinating study of the relationship between a nation and its language, as well as providing a key text for all students of modern French.
With this book, Hilary Wise offers the first comprehensive overview of the modern French its historical sources, formal organisation and social and stylistic functions.
Topics covered
* external influences on the language
* word formation
* semantic change
* style and register
In addition, the author looks at the relationship between social and lexical change and examines attempts at intervention in the development of the language.
Each chapter is concluded by notes for further reading, and by suggestions for project work which are designed to increase awareness of specific lexical phenomena and enable the student-reader to use lexicographic databases of all kinds.
The Vocabulary of Modern French is an accessible and fascinating study of the relationship between a nation and its language, as well as providing a key text for all students of modern French.
- GenresLinguistics
272 pages, Paperback
First published July 24, 1997
7 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 12, 2010
This book is a discussion of French vocabulary - its history, influences, methods of word formation, influence of argot, impact on the national identity and so on. If you ever seen the TV series about the history of the English language, it's just like that but for French, and it's a book not a TV series. In the end, the sad part was that in fact French is rather too much like English and it seemed I'd heard it all before.
My main goal in reading this book was to be exposed to some French words in a different context to what I had been before, and to a small extent it did that. I haven't gained any deep insights into the French language, or learned bunches of new things.
The book is written at the level where a casual reader thinks it's academic, and an academic reader thinks it's for casual readers. There are lots of big words (in English) but none of the depth or rigour an academic would expect.
Overall, a very readable book that achieves what it sets out to do, but I was a little disappointed because it didn't set out to do what I'd hoped it would.
My main goal in reading this book was to be exposed to some French words in a different context to what I had been before, and to a small extent it did that. I haven't gained any deep insights into the French language, or learned bunches of new things.
The book is written at the level where a casual reader thinks it's academic, and an academic reader thinks it's for casual readers. There are lots of big words (in English) but none of the depth or rigour an academic would expect.
Overall, a very readable book that achieves what it sets out to do, but I was a little disappointed because it didn't set out to do what I'd hoped it would.
October 3, 2009
Suitable for anyone with a special interest in French, from origins to today.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews