French literature

[prideanddreams]

I've been studying French for the past 6 years and have always been very talented in all areas of language acquisition: speaking, writing, listening, and reading. I would classify myself as conversationally fluent; however, I feel that the only way for me to improve beyond my current limitations is to begin reading classic French literature. I have therefore decided to take a survey of French literature course at college this semester. We will be reading texts such as L'Amant,Tristan et Iseut, Le Cid and Madame Bovary.

I have a question for those of you who are native English speakers and read classic foreign language literature: how often do you check the meanings of unfamiliar words? Once, twice, three times per page? I estimate that my current level will allow me to read through most texts with roughly 10-15 unknown words per page. I've read Sartre with little difficulty, Françoise Sagan with mild difficulty, some poetry by Rimbaud, Verlaine, and Hugo with moderate difficulty, and short stories by Merimée and Zola with quite a bit of difficulty. It will be unfeasible to look up every single unfamiliar word in the dictionary - I am taking 3 other literature courses this semester and anticipate a heavy reading load.

What are the best strategies for reading classic texts in a foreign language? My ability to discern the meaning of a word based on the context clues surrounding it is much more honed in English than it is in French, so I find it much more effective to find the definition of the word in a French-English dictionary while reading French lit.

Thank you in advance for any and all replies.

[Alexander III]

The only advice I can offer you, is its best to stick away from poetry for now, and focus on prose. As in poetry words take on an entire different meaning which is difficult to grasp for those of native tongue let alone, people learning the language.

My advice would be to look up a word each time you don't know it, but instead of using a dictionary which is a long process use an online one, so within literally a second you can find out the word, it helps the reading flow.

[kiki1982]

I am not a native English speaker, but native Dutch, though I believe I can give some advice too. :)

I agree on the online dictionary. Try this one (http://www.french-linguistics.co.uk/dictionary/) or Interglot (http://www.interglot.com/interglotresult.php?word=h%E9risser&SrcLang=4&DstLang=1&sug=h%E9riss%E9). You can change the language on Interglot. But why don't you try a French-French dictionary? That way, you allow yourself to acquire more knowledge of the language independent from your native tongue, which helps you to express your thoughts rather than your native words in that language. We have a Flamarion at home which I regularly use. Another one is for example Robert (also Petit Robert, depending on the size ;)). This is only feasible of course if one can understand the definition ;), when there is that level, which you seem to be have.

For me, looking up fifteen words a page is too much, because it interupts the flow and takes you out of your concentration. I get frustrated. That said, though, I did do it with Cyrano de Bergerac because I wanted to understand it so badly, and it was so worth it :). I think the maximum for me must be two absolutely incomprehensible ones and a few ones that I can understand in context, otherwise I can't read it. But, hey, whatever makes you comfortable, is fine.

Also, if you really want to learn, then note the words down in a booklet and learn them. I have done that and my language has become a lot better. If there are more important and less important ones (for example architectural features which are really detail and not really necessary to know every single thing, because you will never see them again), then only learn the words which you deem important enough to either use yourself, or which you find likely to encounter again in following texts.

Good luck though :thumbsup:

[OrphanPip]

It will depend on the author largely. I've found very little difficulty reading Dumas, Sartre, Camus, and Maupassant in the original. Likewise, French poets like Verlaine and Rimbaud are fairly straightforward. I had to read Stendhal in a French class, and remember occasionally having some issues, but it has been several years. There's also the option of reading French popular fiction, which tends to be rather easy to read. Another good way to improve is to find a French newspaper (I read La Presse, which is a Montreal paper) because they write very straightforward, simple prose.

Kiki's recommendation of buying the Robert dictionary is a good one, even native French speakers don't pop out of high school necessarily capable of reading Zola and understanding everything. Think of how many native English speakers have trouble reading classic English text. Look things up whenever you don't understand and keep at it, before long you'll be used to it. Although, I was never brave enough to take a French lit class in university, I would be terrified of getting a bad grade.

[dfloyd]

I am too old, at this stage of life, to learn French, but I wish I had. I have read many of the French classicists in English translations, such as Zola, Hugo, Dumas, Anatole Fance, Flaubert, etc. Having the capability to read these in French would be amazing. Dumas might be a good one to start with since his prose is fairly straight forward. I am currently reading the Dumas' Romances of Henry II, and my next French novel will be Gautier's Mademoiselle de Maupin. Good luck!

[LitNetIsGreat]

Nonsense dfloyd, you're not too old to learn French - take it up!!! I'm also interested in learning French but it keeps getting interrupted as more urgent things crop up, but I vow to get back to it bit by bit. I suspect I'll never be proficient but I hope to be able to get the feel for the majority of plain prose, good enough to be able to get the feel for a not too difficult novel.

Away from my studies (and work, which is going to be hell this time next year) I'm almost solely going to be reading French literature, in translation obviously, for a good year or two. I've already read a bit, but this is where I see my reading for a while at least. I'm currently reading Stendhal's La Rouge et la Noir and then I have a Balzac, though Mademoiselle de Maupin is one that I want to read soon too.

It sounds like there is a lot of good advice on offer here for the op which I can't really add to technically (only being able to order a sandwich in French is hardly proficiency, see above) however reading in English for me it is always important not to halt the flow of the reading too much, underline and come back if necessary. Even now in English I underline words sometimes and come back to them, especially when it is an older text, so this approach in another language just sounds like good logic to me - come back to the more regular words that are unfamiliar?

[Rores28]

I'm very jealous of your fluent ability. I too have it in my mind that I will learn french in order to read, unadulterated, their classic literature. End goal is to read, in its entirety, In Search of Lost Time.

Sorry I know this post isn't in anyway applicable to your question.

[David Lurie]

What are the best strategies for reading classic texts in a foreign language?

best strategy? the language shouldn't be foreign anymore. Reading newspapers and magazines helps a lot because it expands your vocabulary and it makes you familiar with the culture. When I feel ready to read in a foreign language that I have studied my attitude is just the same as when I read in Italian - my mother tongue - I like to have a dictionary with me and I am with kiki1982: a French dictionary is much better than a French-English one, your goal has to be reading the book not translating it. Suite Française was the first book I read in French but now I think Kristof's trilogy could be an easier first attempt (and the trilogy is great).