Serious students of Britain and of English should load these documentary programmes into their Mp3 players. "In Our Time" is a BBC radio programme which explores history, culture and science.
You will find dozens of podcasts here :
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01dh5yg
Links and comments for university students of English, and of British Studies and British history. Study links connected with my classes, and general links on current affairs etc. There are sometimes indications as to what group might be particularly interested (L2 for Licence 2nd year, for example)
...
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Historiography and the First World War - seminar
If you missed a seminar, or if listening again would be useful, you will find here a link to a recording of a similar seminar from last year.
http://johncmullen.blogspot.fr/2014/02/historiography-of-great-war.html
http://johncmullen.blogspot.fr/2014/02/historiography-of-great-war.html
Master LEA... and other students
You can practise your English and learn about the fascinating country of Ireland by reading online the most prestigious of the Irish newspapers, the Irish Times.
Their website is here:
http://www.irishtimes.com/
Their website is here:
http://www.irishtimes.com/
Master LEA
Two things this week. First of all, your homework assignment (see further down the blog page).
Secondly, next week we will be looking at the articles on Ireland in your booklet. You should read them, especially the first two. Here are a few vocabulary questions we will begin with:
Secondly, next week we will be looking at the articles on Ireland in your booklet. You should read them, especially the first two. Here are a few vocabulary questions we will begin with:
The first article : “The Luck of the Irish”
Questions
A VOCABULARY
1 Find words which could replace
“spawned” para 1
“towering” para 2
“backwater” para 3
“clout” para 5
2 Which words could you use if you wanted to say the opposite of
“boom” para 1
“burden” para 2
“remarkable” para 3
“valuable” para 6
Thème : information
I will be posting here tomorrow my suggested translation of the passage from Marguerite Duras. I will also post a key to the error codes I have written on some of your scripts.
I have received a number of scripts, mostly by email, for the next passage, from Annie Ernaux. If you have given it me on paper, please also send it by mail. I will begin by correcting the scripts of those students whose work I did not correct last week. if I have time I will do more.
On the 14th October, I have been asked to do a lecture for the core syllabus of the master's degree. On this day I will be asking you to translate, in class time, a passage which I will provide you with. At the end of the class, one of you will leave all the scripts with the secretary of the English department, and I will pick them up and mark them. The classroom test will not be supervised.
I have received a number of scripts, mostly by email, for the next passage, from Annie Ernaux. If you have given it me on paper, please also send it by mail. I will begin by correcting the scripts of those students whose work I did not correct last week. if I have time I will do more.
On the 14th October, I have been asked to do a lecture for the core syllabus of the master's degree. On this day I will be asking you to translate, in class time, a passage which I will provide you with. At the end of the class, one of you will leave all the scripts with the secretary of the English department, and I will pick them up and mark them. The classroom test will not be supervised.
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
Sunday, September 27, 2015
Practise your listening with Desert Island Discs
Find out about leading figures in British culture at the same time as practising your listening skills by downloading these podcasts onto your MP3 player.
BBC Radio 4 - Desert Island Discs - Downloads
BBC Radio 4 - Desert Island Discs - Downloads
Thème: traduire l'imparfait français en anglais
Etudiants d'agrégation:
je vous ai déjà recommandé l'excellent livre d'Anne Trevise sur le prétérit en anglais, livre qui explique très bien les formes "walked" "was walking" "has walked" "has been walking" had walked "had been walking " etc, mais je suis tombé sur un rapprt de l'agrégation (2011) qui me semble utile.
Translating the French "imparfait" can often be a challenge : "was walking"? "walked"? "would walk"? "used to walk"? "had been walking"? : all of these are quite possible in certain circumstances. In 2011, the passage for translation inlcuded a number of verbs in the "imparfait" form, and the jury's report included this brief summary:
Le problème principal posé par ce texte vient de son emploi systématique de l’imparfait. Sachant qu’il
n’existe aucune forme verbale en anglais qui recouvre exactement et toujours les valeurs de
l’imparfait, le défi consistait à déterminer sa valeur dans chaque occurrence, et de la traduire chaque
fois par une forme adéquate. Les candidats (rares) qui ont traduit sans complexe chaque imparfait par
67
la même forme (par exemple, He was having a coffee when a Soviet NCO … was sitting …) ont fait
preuve d’un grand manque de recul.
Voici un relevé de valeurs fréquentes de l’IMPARFAIT diversement traduites en anglais :
I (a). L’ASPECT SECANT : le procès est saisi à un moment de son déroulement, avant son
achèvement, par opposition à l’aspect GLOBAL (« Je lisais le rapport » ≠ « Je lus le rapport ») ; aspect
rendu habituellement par le past continuous pour les verbes dynamiques (I was reading the report) ;
I (b). LES VERBES D’ETAT : le procès est toujours saisi « de l’intérieur », mais le sémantisme
même du verbe s’oppose à la notion de « déroulement » avec un commencement et une fin (« Hans
connaissait Maria ») ; valeur rendue obligatoirement en anglais par le past simple (Hans knew Maria) ;
I (c). PROCES + DUREE : dès que le procès est considéré non simplement comme en cours au
moment du récit, mais ayant en plus duré depuis un laps de temps explicitement caractérisé (« Il
dormait depuis une heure »), l’anglais recourt obligatoirement à l’aspect PERFECTIF (He had been
dreaming for an hour) ;
II. L’ASPECT ITERATIF : le procès s’entend comme se répétant plusieurs fois, voire habituellement,
par opposition à l’aspect SEMELFACTIF, se produisant une seule fois (« Il fumait des cigares » ≠ « Il
fuma un cigare ») ; en anglais les deux aspects sont rendus habituellement par la même forme, le past
simple (He smoked cigars/a cigar), ce qui pose évidemment un problème logique si le contexte n’est
pas clair (The train stopped in Moscow) ; le would fréquentatif permet d’éviter cette éventuelle
ambiguïté (nous y reviendrons);
III (a). LE STYLE INDIRECT : par le jeu de la concordance des temps, l’imparfait traduit une parole
ou une pensée théoriquement formulée au présent (« Il se dit qu’elle mentait ») ; valeur rendue par le
past continuous pour les verbes dynamiques (He thought she was lying) et le past simple pour les
verbes d’état (She said she lived there) ;
III (b). LE STYLE INDIRECT LIBRE utilise les mêmes temps de verbe sans verbe introducteur de
discours (« Elle mentait toujours, et elle allait encore lui mentir »).
Dans ce tour d’horizon nous laissons de côté « l’imparfait historique », « l’imparfait hypocoristique »,
« l’imparfait forain » … et d’autres emplois qui ne s’appliquent pas à notre extrait, mais avec lesquels
les candidats gagneraient à se familiariser. Un fait cependant vient compliquer l’analyse des verbes
dans le passage en question : après la phrase d’introduction, l’ensemble du passage décrit un rêve
récurrent, ce qui donne un aspect itératif à l’ensemble des procès, alors que dans le déroulement du
rêve, chaque événement est perçu comme un moment isolé. Comment rendre cette superposition du
répété et du non-répété ?
Saturday, September 26, 2015
Thème agrégation/M2
Some of you have already got back my comments on your translations, by email. As you can see, you get much more detailed feedback when I use my special correction software. This is why I prefer to receive work by email. So if Oliver S, Lucile M, and Marilyne P could send me their translations of Duras by mail, that would be great.
Other people can send me now, again by mail, their translations of Annie Ernaux. If I should get too many in a given week for me to correct, I will mark first those who have not previously given me a translation.
Other people can send me now, again by mail, their translations of Annie Ernaux. If I should get too many in a given week for me to correct, I will mark first those who have not previously given me a translation.
M2 students in Wednesday translation class
M2 students are only with the class for the first six weeks, and their mark for the semester comes from a final exam. Apart from the fact that you definitely need to re-read from cover to cover the "Garmmaire Explicative de l'anglais", you should hand in a translation or two soon to get an idea of your level. I prefer to receive these by email. So if you can send me, before the 29th, your translation of Annie Ernaux, or, before the 7th October your translation of Robert Merle, that would be fabulous.
Thursday, September 24, 2015
Etudiants en thème
Juste pour me faciliter le travail :
Si vous m'envoyez du travail par mail, et vous vous appelez Sarah Dupont et vous m'envoyez une traduction de Albert Camus, veuillez libeller votre fichier de façon utile pour moi : par exemple "Dupont traduction de Camus". Ne nommez pas le fichier "document1" "thème" ou "pour M Mullen". Merci!
Seminar on historiography. Work for next Tuesday.
Questions on « L’historiographie » by Nicolas Offenstadt
These questions are to help launch a discussion in class.
Questions will be posted here every Thursday so come back often.
How does Offenstadt look at the question of the position of the
historians themselves ?
What are some of the uses of history which Offenstadt refers
to ?
Might some of these be still relevant today concerning writings on
the First World War ?
What is « présentisme » ? Can you think of
any examples which Offenstadt does not mention ?
What is or was the linguistic turn ?
(internet research) :
1. How long were
a) the Middle Ages
b) the long eighteenth century
c) the short twentieth century
2. Why did historians invent these periods ?
3. Who is Hayden White and what are his main ideas ?
LEA Questions économiques et sociales: video for marked homework assignment
Your first marked assignment of the year is to watch this video and write
a) a summary in English in 500 words
b) your opinion of the video in 250 words (its neutrality or lack of neutrality, its pedagogical qualities etc).
Here is the video:
People & Power - Collapse of the Celtic Tiger - YouTube
You may well need to watch the video more than once. It is excellent practice in listening to Irish accents.
You must use only your own words and not quote the exact words which are said in the video. It goes without saying that any sentence used from another source, unless it is quoted and referenced, is plagiarism and strictly forbidden.
It must be written to professional standards: that is to say you must re-read very carefully and eliminate all spelling mistakes etc.
Unless it is impossible for you , write it with a word processing programme.
Hand the work in by email (rtf format) before the 10th October, or in class on the 6th of October.
a) a summary in English in 500 words
b) your opinion of the video in 250 words (its neutrality or lack of neutrality, its pedagogical qualities etc).
Here is the video:
People & Power - Collapse of the Celtic Tiger - YouTube
You may well need to watch the video more than once. It is excellent practice in listening to Irish accents.
You must use only your own words and not quote the exact words which are said in the video. It goes without saying that any sentence used from another source, unless it is quoted and referenced, is plagiarism and strictly forbidden.
It must be written to professional standards: that is to say you must re-read very carefully and eliminate all spelling mistakes etc.
Unless it is impossible for you , write it with a word processing programme.
Hand the work in by email (rtf format) before the 10th October, or in class on the 6th of October.
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
The First world war... in six minutes
Just to briefly sum up...
Here is a six minute reminder of the main military events of the war.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3UjJ5kxiLI
Here is a six minute reminder of the main military events of the war.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3UjJ5kxiLI
Monday, September 21, 2015
Saturday, September 19, 2015
(2) [html full text] Les tubes de la Grande Guerre en Angleterre | John Mullen - Academia.edu
Pour une lecture plus légère sur la première guerre, avec audio:
(2) [html full text] Les tubes de la Grande Guerre en Angleterre | John Mullen - Academia.edu
(2) [html full text] Les tubes de la Grande Guerre en Angleterre | John Mullen - Academia.edu
Dates épreuves agrégation
Le Ministère a récemment communiqué les dates des épreuves écrites de
l’agrégation externe d’anglais pour la session 2016.
Les épreuves se dérouleront :
MARDI 8 MARS
MERCREDI 9 MARS
JEUDI 10 MARS
VENDREDI 11 MARS 2016
Les épreuves se dérouleront :
MARDI 8 MARS
MERCREDI 9 MARS
JEUDI 10 MARS
VENDREDI 11 MARS 2016
XIX-2 | 2014 La grande famine en irlande, 1845-1851
Si vous préparez l'agrégation, vous avez besoin de lire notre revue sur la Grande Famine. Il s'agit de la Revue française de civilisation britannique, gratuit en ligne ici :
XIX-2 | 2014 La grande famine en irlande, 1845-1851
XIX-2 | 2014 La grande famine en irlande, 1845-1851
Friday, September 18, 2015
Seminar Master research: historiography, memory and the first world war: week two
In week two we will start with a short discussion on the video I have asked you to watch, looking in particular at the choice of questions considered important. Then I will continue presenting sources and the history of the history of (sic) the First World War.
As you know, you need to read L'historiographie by nicolas Offenstadt (Paris, Presses Universitaires de France, 2011, 128 pages, dans la collection Que sais-je).
From week three, we will spend the first section of each seminar on this book. In week three, we will look at chapters 1 and 2; in week four, chapters 3 and 4; in week five, chapters 5 and 6; and in the last week, chapters 7 and 8.
Each week I will put two or three questions on the blog about the chapters we are reading, and at the start of the class I will ask a couple of students to give their answer, in order to start up the discussion. However, I would also like you to bring questions about the chapters into class (because some parts of quite complex).
As you know, you need to read L'historiographie by nicolas Offenstadt (Paris, Presses Universitaires de France, 2011, 128 pages, dans la collection Que sais-je).
From week three, we will spend the first section of each seminar on this book. In week three, we will look at chapters 1 and 2; in week four, chapters 3 and 4; in week five, chapters 5 and 6; and in the last week, chapters 7 and 8.
Each week I will put two or three questions on the blog about the chapters we are reading, and at the start of the class I will ask a couple of students to give their answer, in order to start up the discussion. However, I would also like you to bring questions about the chapters into class (because some parts of quite complex).
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
Seminar Historiography
Here is the video I would like you to watch.
Whar questions are considered important, explicitly or implicitly?
Whar questions are considered important, explicitly or implicitly?
Agrégation
Sans doute savez vous déjà que les rapports des jurys se trouvent en ligne.
Vous devrez regarder bien de près la section de chaque rapport sur le thème.
Vous trouverez les rapports ici
Et voici le livre sur le prétérit dont je vous ai parlé:
Vous devrez regarder bien de près la section de chaque rapport sur le thème.
Vous trouverez les rapports ici
Et voici le livre sur le prétérit dont je vous ai parlé:
My research publications
My research is mostly available, whether written in English or in French, on my academia.edu page
which is here.
which is here.
Monday, September 14, 2015
Friday, September 11, 2015
Monday, September 07, 2015
'Stonehenge sibling' radar scans show evidence of a prehistoric religious revolution - Home News - UK - The Independent
New research is revealing surprising facts about religion in Britain several thousand years ago.
'Stonehenge sibling' radar scans show evidence of a prehistoric religious revolution - Home News - UK - The Independent
Thursday, September 03, 2015
Tuesday, September 01, 2015
BBC - India Season
The BBC is producing a fascinating series of programmes on India. A chance to get to know the country a little. See below.
BBC - India Season
BBC - India Season
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