English Grammar: Vocabulary Games

Monday, 8 October 2012

Vocabulary Games

Educated in France, Germany and the UK, Noël Saint-Thomas has two main interests: the grammar of modern French – that is to say, the particular form of French that grew from the end of the 17th century onwards – and cross-cultural issues. The former deals more specifically with the treatment of time and judgement – the various values of the imperfect tense, or imparfait, and the subjunctive mood. The latter became the subject of a multidisciplinary research work in the mid 1990s – ‘Systems, Concepts and Cross-cultural Capability’ – conducted within an Engineering Department. Most important for Noël Saint-Thomas is the opportunity to share and transfer knowledge. For over 15 years, she has taught French to adults – French grammar, literature and civilization. The pleasure of sharing that knowledge and seeing both long-standing and occasional students become ‘hooked’ has never faded.