Portuguese Language II

Objectives

1. To write and interpret better.

2. To know the rules for paragraph and text writing.

3. To identify different text types.

4. To write in several genres.

5. To reflect upon some specific aspects of the Portuguese grammar.

Program

1. Paragraphs and texts:

1.1. The qualities of a good paragraph.

1.2. Developing a paragraph.

1.3. Organising a text.

2. Writing and understanding texts:

2.1. Text types:

2.1.1. Descriptive text type – purpose and linguistic features.

2.1.2. Narrative text type – purpose and linguistic features.

2.1.3. Argumentative text type – purpose and linguistic features.

2.1.4. Abstract.

2.1.5. Specific genres – minutes/protocols, information reports, applications, letters, email messages, résumé, etc.

2.2. Integrating quotations into text.

3. Problematic areas in Portuguese:

3.1. The difference between porque and por que.

3.2. Morphological agreement between constituents.

3.3. Relative clauses with cujo.

Teaching Methodologies

Língua Portuguesa II is a theoretical-practical course unit. It has an important theoretical component – which includes the presentation of the main theoretical concepts – and a strong practical component, where students are asked to read and write different texts, and to solve multiple exercises. Students are evaluated on the basis of their performance of mandatory assigned duties (mandatory readings and written homework) and on their performance in two written tests.

Bibliography

ÁLVAREZ, Miriam, 1993, Tipos de escrito I: Narración y descripción, Madrid: Arco Libros.

ÁLVAREZ, Miriam, 1993, Tipos de escrito II: Exposición y argumentación, Madrid: Arco Libros.

ÁLVAREZ, Miriam, 1997, Tipos de escrito IV: Escritos comerciales, Madrid: Arco Libros.

CUNHA, Celso e L. F. Lindley Cintra, 1984, Nova Gramática do Português Contemporâneo, Lisboa: Edições João Sá da Costa.

PERES, João e Telmo Móia, 1995, Áreas Críticas da Língua Portuguesa, Lisboa: Editorial Caminho.