Nauczanie języka francuskiego wśród elit Rzeczypospolitej XVIII wieku

Abstract

The primary purpose of this paper is to present the methods of teaching French to the members of the nobility and gentry in the 18ᵗʰ-century Polish Commonwealth. The said methods and techniques will be discussed in chronological order, from the 16ᵗʰ and 17ᵗʰ centuries to the 18ᵗʰ century, which will be described in greater detail. The author will present the state of home, court and school-based language education. Furthermore, particular methods of teaching French at 18ᵗʰ-century schools will be characterized. The essay will also include brief analyses of school curricula (of Collegium Nobilium and Knights School), the level of teaching competence of language instructors, and the time necessary to acquire the language skills. The study of all these factors will enable us to determine the role of the French language in the process of education of the noble youth in the 18ᵗʰ-century Polish Commonwealth.