Le polar, crime fiction, is
the most popular literary form in France. In this free course, you will discover the
origins and development of French crime fiction, along with its current status,
before reflecting on whether it is simply mass entertainment or, rather,
genuine literature of quality. You will discover some important authors and
work on extracts from some well-known crime novels. You will analyse the
language of le polar and explore the translation of French crime fiction
into other languages.
Most of the material in this course is in French. The language level is Advanced, equivalent to C1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for languages.
Course learning outcomes
After studying this course, you should be able to:
be familiar with important authors and texts in French crime fiction
analyse some literary techniques used by authors
understand differences between formal written French and informal spoken language
be aware of issues in translating French crime fiction into other languages
understand and communicate in written and spoken French.