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Department of French Studies | Département d'études françaises

The Department of French Studies at the University of Waterloo has a strong commitment to the research, application and dissemination of French language, linguistics, literature and cultural knowledge.  Our exchange programs to Québec and France allow our students to experience these rich cultures first hand. Our undergraduate and graduate programs respond to student needs, ranging from French language improvement, to career preparation (teaching, business, translation, etc.), to cutting edge research.


Le département d’études françaises de l’université de Waterloo s’engage à la recherche, l’application et la dissémination de la langue, la linguistique, la littérature et la culture française. Nos programmes d’échange au Québec et en France permettent à nos étudiants de découvrir ces cultures par eux-mêmes. Nos programmes de premier, deuxième et troisième cycles répondent aux divers besoins de nos étudiants, de l’amélioration de leurs connaissances, la préparation de carrière (enseignement, affaires, traduction, etc.), à la recherche.

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Verse Saints’ Lives Written in the French of England Book Cover

 

 

Congratulations to Delbert W. Russell, Distinguished Professor Emeritus and adjunct professor in the Department of French Studies, who published a translation and critical edition earlier this year titled "Verse Saints' Lives. Written in the French of England."

This volume presents the first full translations of four saints' lives composed in England: Simund de Freine’s pre-dragon Saint George, Guillaume de Berneville’s Saint Giles (the abbot to whom Charlemagne confessed his secret sin); Simon of Walsingham’s Saint Faith(child virgin martyr and subject of a famous relic-theft); Saint Mary Magdalene, often a repentant prostitute but a guardian of fecundity for lay nobility in Guillaume Le Clerc’s version. Substantial introductions, notes, and passages of original text, with detailed analysis and discussion accompany each life. This volume is designed for use in graduate and advanced undergraduate courses in medieval history, literature, religious studies, and visual arts.