AP French Unit 2 Study Guide: Language, Culture, and Identity

Identity

Refers to more than just a name on a passport; includes personal and public selves.

L'identité personnelle

Private identity encompassing values, beliefs, sexuality, and personal interests.

L'identité publique

Public identity relating to how one presents themselves to society.

L'image de soi

Self-image; how a person perceives themselves.

L'estime de soi

Self-esteem; the value one gives to oneself.

Le regard des autres

The gaze of others; societal perception's influence on behavior.

L'appartenance

Belonging; the feeling of being part of a group.

Linguistic relativity

The idea that the language we speak influences how we see the world.

Glottophobie

Discrimination based on one's accent.

Le Verlan

French slang involving inverting syllables to form new words.

Code-switching

Alternating between languages depending on context.

L'Assimilation

Process of fully adopting the culture of the dominant society.

L'Intégration

Participating fully in a society while maintaining one's original cultural identity.

L'Aliénation

Feeling of belonging to neither original culture nor new culture.

Une crise d'identité

Crisis of identity, common in second-generation immigrants.

Le dépaysement

Culture shock or disorientation from being in a different culture.

Social media filters

Tools that allow users to curate their public identity, potentially harming self-esteem.

Cyber-bullying

Harassment in the online space that can have real-world consequences.

La Charte de la langue française

Bill 101 that mandates French as the official language in Quebec.

Post-colonial identity

Identity formation in countries previously colonized, often resulting in a cultural mix.

Le metissage

Cultural mixing or biracialism, often seen in post-colonial societies.

L'amour-propre

Self-worth or self-respect.

Le patrimoine

Heritage, often relating to cultural and historical aspects.

Les aïeux

Ancestors; often used in discussions of lineage and identity.

Les mœurs

Customs or habits of a society.

Polyglotte

Being multilingual; speaking multiple languages.

Hétérogène

Diverse; differing populations or elements.

Homogène

Uniform; populations that are similar or identical.

S'adapter

To adjust to a new environment or culture.

S'assimiler

To adopt the customs of a culture, often losing one's own.

Se conformer

To comply with societal rules or norms.

Se démarquer

To stand out or distinguish oneself from others.

S'enrichir

To enrich oneself, culturally or intellectually.

Bouleverser

To upset or overturn, especially in terms of life changes.

Remettre en question

To challenge or call into question beliefs.

Accueillant(e)

Welcoming; a disposition that invites others.

La laïcité

Secularism, an important concept in French identity.

Il est vs. C'est

Use 'Il est' for professions/adjectives and 'C'est' for nouns.

Habiter vs. Vivre

Vivre implies experiencing life, while Habiter refers to residence.

Imparfait vs. Passé Composé

Imparfait describes ongoing past actions; Passé Composé for completed actions.

Faux Amis

False cognates; words that look similar but have different meanings.

Agreement in Passé Composé

Remember verbs using 'Être' must agree with the subject.

Narrative tenses

Past tenses used to narrate changes in identity: Passé Composé, Imparfait, Plus-que-parfait.

Cultural identity

A combination of personal identity with social and historical influences.

Self-identity

The personal perception of oneself, shaped by various factors.

Community art

Art that reflects a community's public identity.

Technology's influence on identity

Technology can enhance or complicate how we present and perceive identity.

The evolving nature of identity

Identity is not static; it changes based on numerous factors.

Essential Questions

Core questions guiding the exploration of identity in this unit.

Fluid identity

The concept that identity is adaptable and changes over time.

Social belonging

Finding a sense of acceptance within a group or community.