Personne tapant sur une machine à écrire et créant des scénarios orthographiques.

Question d’orthographe : écrit-on des « scénarios » ou des « scénari » ?

Ah, la question éternelle des amateurs de la langue française : “Doit-on écrire « scénarios » ou « scénari » ?” Cet article plonge au cœur de cette interrogation, démêlant les règles de grammaire, les exceptions et les préférences d’usage pour éclairer votre chemin à travers les méandres de l’orthographe française. Préparez-vous à une exploration linguistique !

Un peu d’histoire

Le terme « scénario », emprunté à l’italien “scenario”, a fait son entrée dans la langue française au XVIIe siècle. Originellement, il désignait le plan détaillé d’une pièce de théâtre, avant d’élargir son sens aux domaines du cinéma, de la télévision, et même de la planification événementielle. En italien, le pluriel de “scenario” est “scenari”, sans accent. Mais alors, comment ce mot voyage-t-il dans le paysage grammatical français ?

La règle de base en français

En français, la formation du pluriel suit généralement une règle simple : on ajoute un “s” au singulier. Donc, logiquement, le pluriel de « scénario » est « scénarios ». Cette règle de base soutient l’usage de « scénarios » dans la majorité des écrits français, des documents officiels aux œuvres littéraires.

L’exception italienne ?

La langue française est connue pour ses exceptions, et certains pourraient se demander si « scénario » en fait partie, du fait de son origine italienne. En effet, pour des mots empruntés à d’autres langues, le français a parfois conservé les formes plurielles originales (comme pour les mots “graffiti/graffitis” ou “spaghetti”). Pourtant, « scénari », bien qu’utilisé par certains sous l’influence de l’italien, n’est pas reconnu comme le pluriel standard en français.

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Plausible Analytics, une alternative respectueuse de la confidentialité à l'installation de Google Analytics pour Ubuntu Server.

Plausible Analytics au lieu de Google Analytics

Tout le monde connaît Google Analytics mais savez-vous qu’il existe une alternative simple, open source et qui ne nécessite pas de bannière de cookies ? Je vous présente Plausible Analytics.

Plausible Analytics est une plateforme d’analyse Web open source qui se concentre sur le respect de la vie privée et la simplicité. Contrairement à des solutions plus courantes comme Google Analytics, Plausible a été conçu avec une approche centrée sur la vie privée, ce qui signifie qu’il ne collecte pas de données personnelles des visiteurs.

Cela rend la plateforme conforme aux réglementations strictes en matière de protection des données, telles que le RGPD en Europe, donc idéal pour nous.

Caractéristiques clés

  1. Respect de la vie privée : pas de cookies, pas de suivi des adresses IP, ce qui signifie que vous n’avez généralement pas besoin de demander le consentement des utilisateurs pour suivre les statistiques.
  2. Open Source : le code source est disponible pour tout le monde, ce qui signifie que vous pouvez l’héberger vous-même et examiner le code pour vous assurer qu’il respecte ses promesses en matière de vie privée.
  3. Simple et facile à utiliser : l’interface utilisateur est simple, propre et facile à comprendre, même pour les personnes qui ne sont pas techniquement compétentes.
  4. Léger : le script de suivi est beaucoup plus léger que celui de solutions concurrentes, ce qui signifie qu’il a un impact minimal sur les performances du site Web.
  5. Rapports en temps réel : vous obtenez des rapports en temps réel sur les visiteurs, les pages vues, les taux de rebond, et plus encore.
  6. Intégration facile : Plausible Analytics peut être facilement intégré avec d’autres plates-formes et outils, grâce à des API et des webhooks.

En résumé, Plausible Analytics est une alternative solide et respectueuse de la vie privée aux solutions d’analyse Web traditionnelles. Il est particulièrement utile pour ceux qui valorisent la simplicité, l’open source, et le respect des données des utilisateurs.

Ce tutoriel aborde l’installation sous Ubuntu Server mais comme c’est une image docker, c’est totalement adaptable pour votre distribution linux préférée.

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Mme Dalloway, une femme en costume, naviguant dans le temps avec une horloge et des fleurs.

The fictive experience of time through Mrs. Dalloway

  1. Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf: A Modernist Novel
  2. Time on the surface level of Mrs. Dalloway
  3. Time and Virginia Woolf’s novel technique
  4. The fictive experience of time through Mrs. Dalloway

Now the reader’s experience must be studied because, when all is said and done, it is the way in which the complexity of time is felt that constitutes part of the interest (part of the pleasure) we derive from reading “Mrs. Dalloway”.

‘Monumental’ time versus private time

Virginia Woolf suggests that time is not uniform, time is not the same for everyone at the same moment. The experience of time is filtered through the characters’ consciousness.

We may distinguish between two forms of time: ‘monumental time’ and ‘private time’. Monumental time is the time of the clocks: Big Ben striking the ‘irrevocable hour’, but it is also the time of the power, of the authorities, of the institutions that fix working hours and regulate the lives of ‘well-balanced people’. Private time is subjective; it is torn apart (asunder) between memory (the past) and expectation: looking forward to future events.

What Virginia Woolf subtly shows is that ‘monumental time’, for example, the chiming of Big Ben, arouses different responses and touches off different echoes according to the characters. Of course, the chiming of Big Ben is objectively the same for everyone at the same instant, however, Virginia Woolf sets out to show that they affect characters differently according to the state of mind and disposition they find themselves in, on the spur of the moment.

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Une pile de papiers, de livres et de puzzles sur une table présentant la nouvelle technique de Virginia Woolf à travers le concept de temps.

Time and Virginia Woolf’s novel technique

  1. Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf: A Modernist Novel
  2. Time on the surface level of Mrs. Dalloway
  3. Time and Virginia Woolf’s novel technique
  4. The fictive experience of time through Mrs. Dalloway

Showing the various strata of time by taking one single day is a starting point. It is a paradox since at the end, Woolf suggests that taking one single day is an illusion: huge portions of the past are to be found behind every moment in the present. each moment of the present contains within itself different temporal layers.

Time and story-telling

How can a novelist investigate and analyse the depths of different individual minds while keeping a sense of unity? Or, put differently, how can a novelist create a coherent, well-structured novel from various disconnected subjectivities?

Woolf chose a peculiar narrative voice that could dwell and stay successively in the minds of the different protagonists, and that could register/record what goes on in the character’s consciousness. The narrative presence keeps moving from one character to the next and remembers everything. It has the power to resurrect the past in the narration, i.e. the power of bringing back the past into the present or the fiction.

This narrative voice is like a state of mind outside the characters and of which the characters themselves are not conscious. The state of mind surrounds/encloses the characters and glides/insinuates into the recesses of their minds. This narrative presence violates their inner thoughts and steals their most intimate secrets.

Thus, the form of narration of “Mrs. Dalloway” is the indirect discourse, that we will analyse.

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Mme Dalloway de Virginia Woolf explore la dynamique superficielle du temps dans la vie de Mme Dalloway.

Time on the surface level of Mrs. Dalloway

  1. Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf: A Modernist Novel
  2. Time on the surface level of Mrs. Dalloway
  3. Time and Virginia Woolf’s novel technique
  4. The fictive experience of time through Mrs. Dalloway

Time and space are tightly knit as structural elements. The story spans one day and London is constantly called up through allusions to well-known places: Westminster, Bond Street, Regent’s Park, and Picadilly Circus. Space and time are closely linked.

A day in Mrs Dalloway’s life

Mrs. Dalloway is not old: she is 51. She is from the British ruling class. On the surface level, the day’s events are chronologically organised. At night, the party takes place. The guests are important people of the kingdom.

The story starts in the morning when Mrs. Dalloway prepares to buy flowers. The story closes when the guests are leaving, at 3 AM. It therefore consists of two episodes, the starting and the closing of the perfect hostess.

A series of events and incidents occur between the opening and the closing. Some of these events are commonplace whereas others will have repercussions in the main protagonists’ consciousness: in Mrs Dalloway’s and Walsh’s.

The events are chronologically organised. The passing of the day is marked by the bells and chimes of Big Ben. The most important events take place in threes or multiple of threes. At 12, Warrensmith has an appointment at Bradshaw’s. Bradshaw decides to have Septimus sent to a mental institution. At 3 PM, Richard Dalloway comes into Clarissa’s room with a bunch of flowers. Richard is not able to express his feelings with words. 3 PM (in the past) is also an important moment in Clarissa’s mind for the break with Peter became definitive 30 years ago. At 6 PM, Septimus jumps out of the window.

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Le livre Mme Dalloway de Virginia Woolf est sur une table.

Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf: A Modernist Novel

  1. Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf: A Modernist Novel
  2. Time on the surface level of Mrs. Dalloway
  3. Time and Virginia Woolf’s novel technique
  4. The fictive experience of time through Mrs. Dalloway

Virginia Woolf, a pioneer in the literary world, was deeply engrossed in the exploration of innovative narrative techniques. Her novels, celebrated as groundbreaking masterpieces, introduced avant-garde forms of fiction, charting new territories previously untraversed.

These works boldly shattered the conventional moulds of storytelling, distancing themselves from the well-trodden paths of the Victorian (1837-1901) and Edwardian (1901-1910) eras. Woolf’s narrative experimentation was a declaration of independence from the narrative norms of these ancient ages, heralding a new era in the art of novel writing.

The First World War was a trauma and brought out a crisis. A break is always prepared, the main innovators were Thomas Hardy and Joseph Conrad.

Woolf belongs to an aesthetic movement called the Modernist Novel. “Mrs Dalloway” was published in 1925, which was the year hinging the middle of her career: at the beginning of her career, she was rather traditional (Edwardian) but at the end, “The Waves” is a lyrical fiction, a long and unconventional narrative poem.

“Mrs Dalloway” is still in its shape and structure a novel but at the same time, few clues can be found that point out what Woolf will carry further afterwards.

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Une tasse de thé et des livres fleuris créant une ambiance sereine, parfaite pour étudier ou se livrer à une contemplation poétique.

Bac : méthode pour l’étude d’un texte poétique

  1. Bac : méthode pour l’étude d’un texte poétique
  2. 10 conseils pour bien réussir l’épreuve de Compréhension Orale du bac
  3. La compréhension écrite au bac : la méthode pour réussir
  4. Conseils pour bien réussir l’épreuve d’Expression Orale du bac
  5. Bac : le dossier en spécialité LLCER Anglais
  6. Bac : épreuve orale de spécialité LLCER Anglais
  7. Conseils pour bien réussir le Grand Oral du Bac
  8. La synthèse de documents en LLCER : méthode pour réussir

Voici la fiche méthode pour faciliter l’étude d’un texte poétique, avec un rappel des principaux éléments constitutifs d’un poème.

Qu’est-ce qu’un vers ?

Le début du vers est marqué par une majuscule. La fin du vers est marquée par un retour à la ligne. Le vers (contrairement à la phrase en prose) n’occupe pas forcément toute la ligne, et on peut donc trouver un espace blanc à la fin du vers.

Remarque : si le vers dépasse la ligne, alors la fin du vers ne s’aligne pas sur la marge de gauche dans la poésie classique (jusqu’au XIXe siècle), comme en prose, mais sur la marge de droite, après un crochet.

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Une peinture de personnages du Vicaire de Wakefield rassemblés dans une pièce.

Characters and characterization in The Vicar of Wakefield

  1. Characters and characterization in The Vicar of Wakefield
  2. Structure and Plot in The Vicar of Wakefield

Characters are a finished product. Characterization is the technique of production of the characters, it reflects the way of thinking.

Goldsmith was not only a novelist but also a playwright: he wrote “The Good Natur’d Man” (1768) and “She Stoops to Conquer” (1773). When he wrote “The Vicar of Wakefield”, Goldsmith was testing through fiction characters who were to become perfectible on stage. Full-fledged characters are fleshed-out characters. Fiction writing was for him a draft for theatre, that’s the reason why there are so many references to theatre in the text.

“All the same flesh and blood” (p. 10)

All of the characters are connected through the family.

The family circle

Being a vicar, Primrose reminds his reader that all mankind makes up a large family. Characters are defined through kinship (family relationships). For instance, the Primroses form the typical family structure of the 18th century:

  • the father is at the centre (patriarchal model)
  • the eldest son is favoured (primogeniture)
  • gender roles are well-differentiated (p. 45)

The patronym is Primrose: it is a forerunner of the end of the story. To be “prim” is to behave well and to be easily shocked. The “rose” is a flower, the symbol of England. “Rose” is also the preterit from “to rise”, indicating social elevation.

Throughout the novel, the reader comes across characters who are connected by family ties. Yet, in the denouement, the already existing family bonds are strengthened: In the end, the Primrose family find themselves united to the Wilmots (through George’s wedding) and to the Thornhills (through Sophia’s wedding, and through Olivia’s wedding that proves to have been genuine after all).

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Une peinture représentant un groupe de personnes dans une pièce, dont un vicaire de Wakefield.

Structure and Plot in The Vicar of Wakefield

  1. Characters and characterization in The Vicar of Wakefield
  2. Structure and Plot in The Vicar of Wakefield

“The Vicar of Wakefield” is a classic novel by Oliver Goldsmith, first published in 1766. It’s often celebrated for its charming portrayal of rural English life, its exploration of virtue and resilience in the face of adversity, and its satirical take on the social and moral issues of its time. The narrative centres around Dr Primrose, the vicar of the title, and his family as they navigate a series of misfortunes that test their faith, virtue, and familial bonds.

Dr. Primrose, a man of modest wealth and virtue, lives contentedly with his wife and six children in a small parish. Their tranquil life is upended when the vicar’s financial stability is destroyed, leading the family to move to a more humble residence in another village. The family’s trials and tribulations include financial ruin, seduction, abduction, and imprisonment. Yet, throughout these hardships, Dr. Primrose’s steadfast faith, optimism, and paternal love remain unshaken, serving as a moral compass for his family and the novel’s readers.

Goldsmith employs a mix of satire, sentimentality, and moral reflection, making “The Vicar of Wakefield” a richly layered text. It satirizes the social and moral pretensions of the time, while also presenting a heartfelt exploration of human resilience and the importance of family. The novel’s enduring appeal lies in its complex characterizations, its humour, and its compassionate insight into human nature and societal flaws.

The story is meant to educate and teach a moral lesson to the reader. Yet, the vicar is a model of good behaviour, a paragon of virtue and he is presented comically. He has shortcomings, defects, and very visible weaknesses. The vicar adores showing off and teaching lessons. He displays his knowledge foolishly. He also has a pet theme: monogamy.

The narrative structure of “The Vicar of Wakefield” is notable for its use of a first-person perspective, allowing readers an intimate glimpse into Dr. Primrose’s thoughts and feelings. This approach lends the story an air of authenticity and emotional depth, as the vicar’s virtues and flaws are laid bare.

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Un collage de femmes et d'hommes côte à côte, représentant le progrès et la diversité de la civilisation britannique aux XIXe et XXe siècles.

British Civilisation and Literature: 19th and 20th centuries

  1. The 18th Century: the Age of Enlightenment
  2. The Gothic and the Fantastic
  3. The 19th Century : Romanticism in Art and Literature
  4. English Romanticism (1798-1832)
  5. 19th Century Literary Movements : Realism and Naturalism
  6. British Civilisation and Literature: 19th and 20th centuries

The Victorian Period: 1832-1900

The Victorian Period took place during the long reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901). Great Britain was then the first industrial, cultural and economic nation, with a thriving economy. It was a time of social and political stability and the colonies were a huge market for British products. The British population rose from 2 million people to 6.5 million people. The Great Exhibition of 1851 was a demonstration of British power.

Yet, some social problems arose: trade unions were forbidden and this led to riots. The “Corn Laws” were used to keep the price of bread high. There was pauperism too: in 1864, the Poor Law Amendment Act was introduced to solve the problem of poverty with workhouses.

The Victorian Period was the age of two extremes: the poor working class and the middle classes, rich and comfortable. It was a 2-standard society. It was also an age marked by scientific and economic confidence and social and spiritual pessimism. Some great debates took place: intellectual activity and questioning on varied themes such as justice, liberty and progress. In 1859, Charles Darwin published “On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection”.

The Mid-Victorian society is still held together by Christian moral teachings. The stress was on the virtues of family life. Some saw the family as an agent of oppression, as an efficient means to maintain uniformity in society. It was also the time of the first real moves of the modern women’s movement. Yet, at the same time, there was a great respect for the matronly model provided by Queen Victoria herself: the stereotype of virtuous womanhood.

The 19th Century: the Great Age of the English novel and Gothic novel

With Charles Dickens, a new concern of the society emerged:

  • he was a clock (a huge worker)
  • his father was imprisoned for debt
  • he started working at the factory at 12

Dickens’ life inspired his novels: David Copperfield, Oliver Twist, The Pickwick Papers, and Hard Times. They all revolve around the problems of society and the suffering of children.

He is never pathetic but sometimes humourous and ironic. Dickens’s depiction of the Victorian change of feelings from optimism and confidence at the beginning of Queen Victoria’s reign in 1837 to uncertainty and melancholy thirty years later.

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Un dessin animé parodique mettant en scène deux hommes jouant au croquet dans le style de Tristram Shandy.

To what extent is Tristram Shandy a parody?

At the beginning of a novel, a writer has to call up a world of his. It’s the “willing suspension of disbelief’ (Samuel Coleridge), which only happens if the situation is credible. It means that the reader accepts the story without always questioning the facts related, but he’s expected to take things seriously.

The opening chapter is likely to puzzle the reader who has some good reasons to feel disoriented. He suspects Sterne of playing a trick on him.

The novelist presents this text as a fictitious autobiography. “Opinions” means a documented essay, and “gent” (a short for gentlemen) specifies that the character occupies a high level in society. The quotation in Greek is erudite, it’s an epigraph (part of the paratext).

Playing with the rules of the realist novel

The story is presented as a jest.

A lack of chronological progression

The first-person narrator does not follow the linear, chronological progression of an autobiography. The story is “ab ovo” as Tristram is not born yet. He tells a story he cannot have witnessed: “My Tristram’s misfortunes began 9 months before he came to this world”.

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Un dessin animé inspiré du roman Tristram Shandy mettant en scène un homme chevauchant un cheval et un chien, créant un visuel anti roman amusant.

Is Tristram Shandy a novel or an anti-novel?

A general presentation of Tristram Shandy

The title shows that novelists played with the rules of the New Novel genre. Tristram Shandy is a unique literary experience. It is a long and intricate text that does not even tell a story, or at least in an unusual way. It cannot be read from cover to cover: there is no unique plot but digressions, essays, and experiments with typography.

We can find blank pages, drawings, dashes, italics and chapters which have gone missing. It is much more complicated than a joke, it is a book that is highly interesting in its artistic form. It is a reflexive text, which is also commenting on the meaning of fiction writing.

The influences of other writings

Sterne was a cultivated vicar and a well-read man, influenced by Shakespeare, Rabelais, and Cervantes but also by philosophers such as Descartes or Locke.

Tristram Shandy was published in several instalments. Volumes 1-6 were published in 1760-1761, and volumes 7-9 were published between 1765 and 1767. Tristram Shandy was immediately successful and made Laurence Stern rich. However, Sterne contracted tuberculosis and had to go to France (the description of Paris is in vol. 7). Several authors influenced Laurence Sterne.

Don Quijote

Sterne likes Cervantes’ comic method which consists of telling simple insignificant events by using epic style. There’s a distortion, a gap between the event or action and how the event is described. This gap is what is called “mock-heroic”: it is not serious enough to be epic, and it creates a comic effect.

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