Readings:

Besmeres, Mary, and Anna Wierbicka, eds., Translating Lives: Living with Two Languages and Cultures; Bouraoui, Nina, Tomboy. transl. Marjorie Attignol Salvodon & Jehanne-Marie Gavarini; Huston, Nancy, Losing North: Musings on Land, Tongue, and Self; Kaplan, Alice, French Lessons; Rodriguez, Richard, Hunger of Memory: The Education of Richard Rodriguez; Rosenwasser, David, and Stephen, Jill. (2011). Writing Analytically, 6th ed.; Stavans, Ilan, On Borrowed Words: A Memoir of Language

FILM: Schneider, Ken and Marcia Jarmel. (2009) Speaking in Tongues. Patchwork Films.

Course Description:

This Reading and Composition course will explore the inner workings of the multilingual mind and heart through a study of language learning memoirs and critical texts. By exploring texts involving many different languages in a variety of genres, we will familiarize ourselves with the key genre “language memoir” and construct argumentative writing around themes that emerge from our readings. We will examine the sociohistorical, cultural, and political environments which frame multilingual speakers’ experiences. Additionally, we will work on reading and visual comprehension while learning the tools for good literary and filmic critique.

Additional information: 

This course fulfills the second half of the Reading and Composition Requirement in the College of Letters and Science. Class conducted in ENGLISH.

Section times and locations in the Schedule of Classes