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Modern Languages

French Translation Course Using Letters of Charles De Gaulle

French 720 class

French faculty Dr. Kathleen Antonioli and Dr. Cro received a grant to develop the exciting new translation course“Translating the Freedom Papers: Charles De Gaulle and WWII Correspondence”! Read below to find more about their interdisciplinary project!

 

In 2015, Kansas State University received twenty-three letters, correspondence to and from Charles de Gaulle dating from 1941-1944. At the time, Charles de Gaulle was the leader of the Free French forces and later he would become the President of France. The letters are a fascinating view into the reality of the French experience during WWII. Including letters in French and English between key figures such as De Gaulle, Winston Churchill, Anthony Eden, and Louis Mountbatten, the correspondence varies in length and subject matter, but mostly focuses on De Gaulle’s leadership of the Free French and collaboration with British forces.  

The development of the course was made possible by a grant from the Hall Center for the Humanities at the University of Kansas. Using this grant, Drs. Antonioli and Cro were able to work with Digital Humanities scholars at Kansas University to develop the digital tools necessary to enhance the course. In Fall 2016, ten K-State French students worked collaboratively on the translations of the letters, providing context for the letters and creating a website for sharing information with the website with the help of Hale Libraries.
To learn more about this exciting project, you can visit the students’ website (http://scalar.usc.edu/works/french-freedom-papers/index) or view the upcoming exhibit in person at Hale Library Special Collections ( http://www.lib.k-state.edu/special-collections).

 

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