Language Resources
Language Learning Resources for French
Spring 2012 drop-in tutoring schedule
Class-specific resources
French 110: audio files
You may also find class resources, such as syllabi and assignment-related material, on the Course Materials and Reserves page, on the department website, or on the Courses Server.
Recommended Dictionaries
On Language Lab computers:
- Dictionnaire Hachette
Online dictionaries:
- Oxford Language Dictionaries Online (Reed only): French-English and English-French dictionaries with audio of native-speaker pronunciation
- WordReference.com: includes dictionary, grammar and usage information, and discussion forums (with many native-speaker participants) about usage, idiomatic expressions, etc.
- MEDIADICO: includes audio recordings of words, an excellent selection of citations, and lists of anagrams, among many other features
- Le Trésor de la Langue Française Informatisé
- Yourdictionary.com: links to a wide range of dictionaries, including some highly specialized ones
- Lexilogos: links to French dictionaries, encyclopedias, and grammar and spelling references
- Le Dictionnaire de la zone: dictionary of French slang
- Le Grand Robert Dictionary Online version of the authoritative French dictionary
Software
The following software is available as a clickable icon on computer desktops in the Language Lab:
- LangLab: audio exercises for French 110
- Antidote HD: Spelling and grammar checker
- Le Correcteur: Spelling and grammar checker
- Dictionnaire Hachette: French-English, English-French dictionary
The following software is available as keyed software on the Academic Software server:
- Antidote HD (Mac and Windows versions)
- Le Correcteur (Mac version)
The following software on CD-ROM is available for checkout at the IMC desk:
- Dictionnaire Hachette, IMC PC2640 .H23 1994 CD-ROM
- Le Petit Robert, IMC PC2625 .R55446 1996 CD-ROM
- EuroDico, IMC PC2625 .E98 1995 CD-ROM
- French Now, IMC PC2117 .L437 2000 CD-ROM
Typing Help
| Windows: | Mac: |
| Word: Use Word's built-in special characters. | Option key: Use the option key to type special characters. |
| International keyboard: Change your keyboard behavior so you can use special key combinations for special characters. | Keyboard layout setup: Be able to type as if you have a French keyboard. |
| Keyboard layout setup: Be able to type as if you have a French keyboard. | Key Caps/Keyboard Viewer: View keyboard layouts and copy characters into documents. |
| Keyboard layout: See the French keyboard layout. | |
| Character map: Copy and paste special characters from this system tool. | |
| ASCII codes: Use Alt key + numbers for special characters. |
Language-specific Resources
- ELFE: self-correcting grammar exercises (Reed only)
- American Association of Teachers of French (AATF)
- BBC Languages: self-tests, online courses, audio and video for French learners
- Pomme (University of Alberta): diagnostic test and grammar exercises
- Testez-vous (University of Texas): self-correcting exercises
- Tex's French Grammar (University of Texas): reference grammar with links to the two sets of exercises above
- French Language Exercises (Columbia University): self-correcting exercises
- Realfrench.net: includes grammar explanations, exercises, and games ("Millionaire" is highly recommended!)
- Le Point du FLU: Grammar exercises, as well as audio and video exercises for learning French.
- French Online Grammar Quiz (City College of San Francisco)
- Bon Patron: online grammar and spelling checker
- Verb conjugation practice (University of Texas)
- Verbuga: Online verb conjugator for French.
- Le Truc de Genres: A guide detailing French gender rules.
- Phonétique: exercises for practice with the French sound system
- Yabla French: online video for French learners; subscription required for most materials, but the demo content is free and good
- French in Action: Online video lessons for learning French. All lessons are connected by a story, making it easy to follow along.
- French Studies resources from the University of Adelaide Library
- HAPAX: French Studies resources from Sweet Briar College
- LiTgloss (University of Buffalo): French literary texts with clickable translations
- ClicNet (Swarthmore College): thematically organized collections of texts for learners of French
Literary/Cultural Resources
Newspapers
- Le Monde
- Le Monde. Sélection hebdomadaire (shelved by title in the Pollock Browsing Room)
- Libération
- Le Figaro
- Le Monde diplomatique
- Humanité
- France-Soir
- ouest-france
- Le Soir en ligne
- Le Canard enchaîné
- ATTAC
Magazines
TV and Radio stations
- TF1
- France 2
- France 3
- M6
- Canal+
- Arte
- Radio France
- Le Zapping: French Daily News in 7 minutes
French Cinema
- La Cinémathèque française
- La Bibliothèque du film
- Les Cahiers du cinéma
- Institut national de l'audiovisuel
- Première (magazine)
- IMDB en français
- Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée
French Bookstores
Library catalouges (physical and digital collections)
- Bibliothèque nationale de France - catalogue générale
- Bibliothèque nationale de France - Gallica, bibliothèque numérique
Research tools
- Research Guide for French Literature (Reed Library)
- Eighteenth Century Collections Online (Reed subscription)
- ARTFL Dictionnaires d'autrefois (French dictionaries of the 17th, 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries)
- ARTFL Encyclopédie
Museums and image collections
- Réunion des musées nationaux
- Musée d'Orsay
- Musée du Louvre
- Musée Carnavalet
- Centre Pompidou
- Musée du quai Branly
- Musée Dapper
- Palais de Tokyo
- Musée Marmottan
- Le Petit Palais
- Musée de la Vie Romantique
- Musée Cluny (Musée national du Moyen Age)
- Musée Picasso
Governmental and cultural links
- France Diplomatie (Ministère des Affaires étrangères et européennes)
- La Documentation française
- Ambassade de France à Washington
- Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication
Higher education in France
- Université de Paris III (Sorbonne Nouvelle)
- Université de Paris IV (Sorbonne)
- Université de Paris X (Nanterre)
- École nationale supérieure des beaux-arts
- École normale supérieure (Paris, Ulm)
- École normale supérieure (Lyon)
- École des hautes études en sciences sociales
- Institut d'Études Politiques de Paris ("Sciences Po")
- École Polytechnique
- École nationale supérieure des arts et techniques du théâtre
- École nationale supérieure des métiers de l'image et du son ("La fémis")