French and Arabic

French and Arabic — two separate languages, connected by history, that are administered by the same academic department — both welcome entering students.

• For French, all entering students who have previously studied French are required to take the French department's placement test during the summer (it is not administered at any other time). The department uses the results of the placement test to recommend the appropriate starting point for each student.
• For Arabic, all entering students who have previously studied Arabic are required to meet with Professor Youssef during NSO. During this meeting, students will be assessed and the department will recommend the appropriate course. Please email Professor Youssef to schedule a meeting.

Why take courses in this discipline?

French and Arabic are both global languages: their hundreds of millions of speakers live in every part of the world, and thus these languages are an integral part of a rich variety of cultures, histories, artistic achievements, social movements, political theories, and individual stories. Courses in French or Arabic at Grinnell (the two languages have separate curricula) are designed to immerse students into this richness while also giving them the proficiency to speak, read, write, and understand the language when hearing it.

Students are encouraged to spend a semester abroad on an approved program in Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, or sub-Saharan Africa; all academic credits earned on these programs will count towards graduation. Students can major in French, or combine French with another major, and students in Arabic can use these courses to complete the Concentration in Studies in Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia (SAMESA). Grinnell alumni who have majored in French or studied Arabic have thrived in a broad range of careers that allow them to put their global knowledge and language competency to good use, such as law, international affairs, medicine, community service organizations, business, the arts, government, and education.

How does the discipline contribute to the liberal arts?

Language is at the heart of all human knowledge, and thus language study gives access to the knowledge held by every discipline in the liberal arts. Whether it is Pasteur’s descriptions of his discoveries in microbiology, Averroès’s theories of physics, or Simone De Beauvoir’s analysis of gender, French and Arabic are paths to a greater understanding of nature, society, and the human condition. But to use the schematics of the College’s “Six Elements of a Liberal Education,” one could say that courses in French and Arabic pertain to language study and communication/writing as well as human behavior and society.

What kinds of questions are asked in this field?

• How does our understanding of ourselves and our society depend upon the language we use? How does the use of French or Arabic lead to a different perspective on identity and human relations than does the use of English or another language?
• What are the key ideas, movements, individuals, artistic endeavors, literary creations, philosophical speculations, and personal stories that have contributed to creating the French-speaking world, or the Arabic-speaking world? How have these different ideas and individuals interacted to create our present-day world?
• What are the grammatical, linguistic, rhetorical, and cultural aspects of language that are necessary to learn in order to access the knowledge that is contained in that language?

How does a student get started in French?

If you have never taken French before, you should sign up for French 101 in the fall semester (it is not taught in the spring) and continue with French 102 in the spring. Students who have taken some French before, or who have lived for a period in a French-speaking country, need to take the department’s placement test to receive a recommendation for which course to take.

The 100- and 200-level courses follow a determined sequence: FRN 101, FRN 102 (or FRN 103, see below) FRN 221, and FRN 222. FRN 101 is only taught in the fall semester, and FRN 102 is only taught in the spring semester. Both of these courses immerse students in French so that by the end of the year, students are able to communicate with other French speakers. FRN 221 and FRN 222 are both taught in the fall and spring semesters; these courses continue to strengthen students’ language skills while also exploring French history and culture. FRN 103 is an intensive review course, taught only in the fall, designed for students who have already taken some French, and covers the material of both FRN 101 and FRN 102 in a single semester. Entering students should wait for an official placement before signing up for FRN 103, 221, or 222.

Students who place at the 300-level of the curriculum have a choice of courses that they might take, and these choices are presented during the placement test. The one-credit course on French Conversation through Media (FRN 201) is best taken after a student has already completed a semester of study at Grinnell.

AP/IB Credit

A score of 4 or 5 on the AP French language exam or a score of 5 on the IB French language exam would count as the equivalent of FRN 101.

How does a student get started in Arabic?

If you have never taken Arabic before, you should sign up for Arabic 101 in the fall semester (it is not taught in the spring) and continue with Arabic 102 in the spring. Students who have taken some Arabic before, or who have lived for a period in an Arabic-speaking country, need to meet with Professor Youssef during New Student Orientation to determine the correct course in which to begin.

The four-semester sequence of Arabic follows a determined sequence: ARB 101, ARB 102, ARB 221, ARB 222. Note that each course is only offered during a specific semester: ARB 101 and ARB 221 (fall), ARB 102 and ARB 222 (spring). ARB 101 and 102 use a set of intensive instructional materials aimed at promoting the acquisition of written and oral language skills. ARB 221 emphasizes grammar (written and oral skills) and provides an introduction to the analysis of literary and cultural texts. ARB 222 focuses on the development of written and oral skills through the exploration of literary texts and contemporary media materials.

Guided Reading is available at the 200 level. Independent Study is available at the 300 level.

Courses in French

All Courses in French

Recent 300-Level Courses

• French Civilization I: Sites of Myth and Memory
• French Civilization II: Revolutions and Identities
• Contemporary Francophone Cultures
• Introduction to French Literature from the Middle Ages to the Revolution: From Knights to Libertines
• Introduction to French Literature of the 19th and 20th Centuries: Literary Revolutions
• Social Climbers and Rebels
• Comedy in French Literature Prior to the Revolution
• Literature and Society in 19th-Century and Belle Epoque France
• Innovation and Transgression in French from 1870 to 1945
• Contemporary French Writing
• Fictions of Francophone African Cities
• The Francophone Caribbean World: From Plantation to Emancipation

Courses in Arabic

All Courses in Arabic

• Beginning Arabic I
• Beginning Arabic II
• Intermediate Arabic I
• Intermediate Arabic II

Sample Four-Year Plan for a French Major

Off-Campus Study in French

Recommended programs are located in France, Senegal, and Cameroon. Courses taken off-campus count toward the major if taught in French and relate to the French-speaking world.

Off-Campus Study in Arabic

Grinnell students currently study Arabic in Jordan and Morocco. Courses taken off-campus count toward the concentration in Studies in Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia (SAMESA).

Contributions to Other Majors/Concentrations

Courses in French contribute to majors or concentrations in:

• gender, women's, and sexuality studies
• European studies
• global development studies
• linguistics

Courses in Arabic contribute to a concentration in:

• studies in Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia (SAMESA)

Department Events and Opportunities

Students studying French can participate in the weekly French table, live in French House, meet visiting artists, scholars, and activists, or do community projects through the language center.

Students studying Arabic have opportunities to participate in the weekly Arabic table, interact with the Arabic assistant, meet scholars, writers, and activists, or do community projects through the language center.