An Introduction to the French Language and Linguistics

An Introduction to the French Language and Linguistics A good place to begin if youre considering learning any language is to learn about where the language came from and how it functions within linguistics. If youre thinking about learning French before your next visit to Paris, this quick guide will get you started on discovering where French came from. The Language of Love French belongs to a group of languages identified as a Romance language, although thats not why its called the language of love. In linguistic terms, Romance and Romanic have nothing to do with love; they come from the word Roman and simply mean from Latin. Other terms sometimes used for these languages are Romanic, Latin, or Neo-Latin languages. These languages evolved from Vulgar Latin between the sixth and ninth centuries. Some other very common Romance languages include Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Romanian. Other Romance languages include Catalan, Moldavian, Rhaeto-Romanic, Sardinian and Provenà §al. Because of their shared roots in Latin, these languages can have many words that are similar to each other.   Places French Is Spoken Romance languages originally evolved in Western Europe, but colonialism spread some of them all over the world. As a result,  French is spoken  in many regions other than just France. For example, French is spoken in the Maghreb, through Central and West Africa, and in Madagascar and Mauritius. Its the official language in 29 countries, but the majority of the francophone population is in Europe, followed by sub-Saharan Africa, North Africa, the Middle East and the Americas, with about 1% being spoken in Asia and Oceania.   Even though French is a Romance language, which you now know means that it is based on Latin, French has a number of characteristics that set it apart from the other members of its linguistic family. The development of French  and basic  French linguistics  go back to Frenchs evolution from Gallo-Romance which was the spoken Latin in Gaul and even more specifically, in Northern Gaul.   Reasons to Learn to Speak French Aside from becoming fluent in the worlds recognized language of love, French has long been an international language for diplomacy, literature and commerce, and has played a significant role in the arts and sciences as well. French is a recommended language to know for business as well. Learning French can allow communication  for various business and leisure travel opportunities across the world.

How to Study for a Test or Final Exam

How to Study for a Test or Final Exam The end of the term is drawing near, and that means final exams are looming. How can you give yourself an edge this time around? The most important thing you can do is give yourself plenty of time to prepare. Then follow this simple plan: 1) Study2) Test yourself with a practice test3) Discover your weak areas4) Study again5) Test yourself again That’s the simplified version. For really great results on your finals: Science Says Start Early There are many recent studies that show  that it is important to study in stages. The findings say that its best to  start early and give your brain a rest, then study again. If youre preparing for a comprehensive exam, gather together all the material you’ve received during the term. You probably have handouts, notes, old assignments, and old tests. Don’t leave anything out. Read through your class notes twice. Some things will sound familiar and some things will sound so unfamiliar you’ll swear they were written by somebody else. That’s normal. After you study all your notes for a term, try to come up with themes that connect all of the material. Establish a Study Group or Partner Schedule at least one meeting time with a study partner or study group. If you absolutely can’t get together, then exchange email addresses. Instant messages will work well, too. Invent and use learning games with your group. You could also consider communicating through an online forum like the Homework / Study Tips forum. Use Old Tests Collect your old exams from the year (or semester) and make a photocopy of each one. Whiteout the test answers and copy each one again. Now you have a set of practice tests. For best results, you should make several copies of each old exam and keep taking the tests until you score perfectly on each one. Note: You can’t white out the answers on the original, or you won’t have an answer key! Build Up Your Class Notes Organize your notes by date (do the best you can if you didn’t date your pages) and make note of any missing dates/pages. Get together with a study partner or group to compare notes and fill in any missing material. Don’t be too surprised if you missed key information from the lectures. Everybody zones out once in a while. After you organize your new set of notes, underline any keywords, formulas, themes, and concepts. Make yourself a new practice test with fill-in sentences and term definitions. Print out several tests and practice several times. Ask the members of your study group to make practice tests as well. Then swap. Re-Do Your Old Assignments Gather any old assignments and re-do the exercises. Many textbooks have exercises at the end of every chapter. Review those until you can answer every question with ease. Use Different Textbooks If you’re studying for a math or science exam, find another textbook or study guide that covers the same material that you’ve studied this term. You can find used books at yard sales, used book stores, or in the library. Different textbooks will provide you with different explanations. You might find one that makes something clear for the first time. Other textbooks can also give you a new twist or fresh questions on the same material. Thats exactly what your teacher will do on the final! Invent Your Own Essay Questions For history, political science, literature, or any theory class, focus on themes. Read your notes again and mark anything that looks like it would serve well as an essay question. Which terms make good comparisons? For example, what terms could a teacher use as a â€Å"compare and contrast† question? Try coming up with your own long essay questions by comparing two similar events or similar themes. Have your friend or study partner come up with essay questions and compare.