This paper is available for the academic year 2025-26.
This paper aims to offer to 2nd year MML students the opportunity to acquaint themselves with Catalan, a language of over ten million speakers on the North Eastern seaboard of Spain, South Eastern France, the Balearic Islands and a city in Sardinia. The course at 1B acts as a feeder for the final-year paper, Sp10, which offers more intensive study of the language, literature and cultures of the Catalan-speaking areas.
Students who want to take this paper do not have to have any prior knowledge of Catalan, although some knowledge of a cognate Romance idiom, especially Spanish, Portuguese or Italian is an advantage. Candidates can also familiarise themselves with the language of Catalonia before the course starts through online materials below. Like other beginners鈥� courses in MML, the teaching strategy will be fully communicative, inviting active participation in the eliciting of all four language skills. An introduction to Catalan literature is provided by the study of two literary works (translations into English are available) by prominent female authors. Sp6 students are expected to achieve a similar standard, that of A-level, as is the case with other ab initio students. The teaching will also prepare candidates for the听Certificat Internacional de Catal脿 Nivell B1听awarded each year by the Institut Ramon Llull and thw Generalitat de Catalunya.
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Cultural Topics:
- Catalan culture: 1868-1975
- Merc猫 Rodoreda, Contes
- Catalan culture: 1975 to nowadays
- Irene Sol脿, Canto jo i la muntanya balla
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Catalan Online Resources
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Language Courses
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Dictionaries
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Grammar
Catalan: An Essential Grammar,听Dols,听Nicolau;听Mansell,听Richard听(Routledge)
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A Companion to Catalan Culture, ed. Dominic Keown (Tamesis)
The language teaching is organised by a native teacher who is also the Batista i Roca Fellow at Fitzwilliam College. There are two weekly hours devoted to this activity. Lectures, seminars and supervisions on literature are imparted.
We are also fortunate in having a well-equipped Catalan section in the听Faculty Library, and a very wide range of works on all aspects of the Catalan-speaking areas in the听. The听听receives Catalan television by satellite with resources including courses, dictionaries, films, grammar, reading, reference and external links. A further important resource for independent language study is the Faculty's听. The long-term aim of the CALL Facility, which opened in 1997, is to integrate computing into MML's teaching and research. Catalan-related resources on the World Wide Web may also be accessed from the听. There is a Moodle page for language learning which runs in tandem with the classes and provides details about web-assisted learning.
Summer courses
After attending SP6, there is the opportunity to attend a language course in the Catalan-speaking areas during the vacation. There are various courses, and some scholarships are available. Colleges will often provide grants or travel awards. Details of summer courses are available from the Batista i Roca Fellow during Lent term.
Continuing study
SP6 may be taken in听IB and offered as a Year Abroad Project with a view to continuing study in the final year as an Optional Dissertation, on comparative papers (CS1, CS5, CS6) or, on the course on contemporary peninsular culture (SP9) which also includes elements of the creative output of Catalonia. Please note that the Part II continuation of SP6 is available: SP10 Modern Catalan Language and Culture.
Assessment for the language component will be by a two-hour end-of-year written听examination and听an oral examination lasting for some 10-12 minutes听(SP6O, scheduled for week 4 of the Easter Term). The oral and the written听paper (here)听will be concerned with听linguistic proficiency,听amounting to two thirds of the marks overall. Assessment for the literature component will be by a take-home based exam in which candidates will answer one essay question on the topics and readings of this part of the course.
See also Oral A听here听for more information
Juan Mart铆nez-Gil |
