Teaching activities and lectures take place from Monday through Saturday morning (Saturday afternoon is free). The days are divided into two parts with morning classes being devoted to Breton language instruction. Afternoons are reserved for lectures and field trips. In addition, a number of dinners and evening activities have been planned.
The language classes are organized in three levels. Level 1 is designed for complete beginners, level 2 for false beginners and level 3 for intermediate learners. Conversation classes for all levels are taught by teachers from the Mervent Breton language Association. They concentrate their teaching on the spoken language.
Levels 1 and 2 are taught by Mr. Tanguy Solliec (linguist and PhD researcher specializing in Breton dialectometry, University of Western Brittany, CRBC). Ms Myrzinn Boucher-Durand (MA, University of Western Brittany, CRBC / PhD researcher, Celtic Studies, Harvard University) teaches the level 3 group. She will be residing at the Résidence les Colverts and accompanying participants throughout the two-week course as well as the Breton typology workshop and the Celto-Slavica 9 Colloquium.
June 4 to June 16, 2018
MORNINGS
9:00 to 12:30 – Breton language classes
The language classes are organized in three levels. Level 1 is designed for complete beginners, level 2 for false beginners and level 3 for intermediate learners. While the spoken language is stressed, the entire course has supports in standard written Breton with grammatical explanations in English. The Breton language lecturers are also English speaking (for afternoon activities, see below).
12:30 to 13:30 – Lunch (at the University Restaurant)
AFTERNOONS
13:30 to 16:15 – Breton culture and society
Lectures
The afternoon lectures are delivered by leading scholars in their fields. All lecturers are members of the CRBC.
A broad range of talks are proposed dealing with a variety of subjects such as Breton history, the origins of the Breton language, Breton dialectology and sociolinguistics, ethnology (rural and maritime culture), oral Breton literature (sources of the Barzaz Breiz), onomastics, Breton-language literature (medieval and modern), Breton art…
New talks and activities are planned for those who attended the Summer School in 2017 including a newly designed, hands-on workshop in Breton dialectology in which participants will analyse CRBC field recordings of native Breton speakers. This activity is organized by specialists in Breton geolinguistics.
OUTINGS
• During the first week of your stay, a visit of medieval Quimper and its cathedral will be organized.
• A visit to Locronan and the study of the gwerz of Saint Ronan and the origins of the Troménie and its connection with the forest of Nevet (< nemeton).
• The Art Gallery of Pont Aven and the discovery of the fishing village of Doëlan and the fortified seaport town of Concarneau.
• The 5th century monastery of Landevennec in the Crozon peninsula and a lecture of the origins of the Breton saints.
EVENING ACTIVITIES
Several evening meals will be offered to participants in Quimper and in Doëlan. The well-known traditional singer, Brigitte Kloareg, will introduce participants to Breton and Celtic singing and dancing. Every year, a favorite evening activity is to meet for a drink at the Ceili, a popular pub where Breton beer and cider are on offer and Celtic music is the rule. Quimper is known for its excellent restaurants.
Breton typology workshop and the Celto-Slavica 9 Colloquium
During the week following the Summer School, two exceptionnal events will take place : a workshop en Breton linguistic typology (June 19 - 20) and the Celto-Slavica 9 Colloquium (June 21-23). Both workshop and Celto-Slavica Colloquium will host many of the world's leading authorities in Celtic Studies.
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