Hofstra Department of Romance Languages and Literatures

06/03/2026

Check out Spanish 113B for the fall.

06/03/2026

This is Canal Saint-Martin, a nearly 3-mile (4.5 km) waterway cutting through the 10th arrondissement on Paris's Right Bank.

Most first-time visitors never find it. It sits east of the Place de la République, a short walk from the Marais, but far enough off the main tourist circuits that it still feels like a place locals actually own. And they do — this is where Parisians spread out with a bottle of wine on a warm evening, sitting along the stone quays with their feet hanging over the water.

The canal was Napoleon's idea. In 1802, Paris had a million people and a serious drinking water problem. He ordered the canal built to pipe in fresh water from outside the city. Funded partly by a tax on wine, it took more than 20 years to dig out and finally opened in 1825. For most of the 19th century it was a working waterway, lined with warehouses and factories moving goods in and out of the city by barge.

The industrial life is long gone. Today the canal's iron footbridges and tree-lined banks form one of the most recognizable stretches in Paris — even if you've seen it without knowing what it was. The 2001 film Amélie filmed scenes here, and the neighborhood has since become what Parisians call "bobo" (bourgeois-bohemian): independent wine bars, vintage shops, small restaurants where reservations matter.

What makes it worth seeking out as a visitor is exactly what makes it feel un-touristy. It moves at a different pace than the Seine. The crowds are lighter. The cafés have fewer laminated menus. And just under your feet, roughly half the canal continues underground, flowing in tunnel beneath the Place de la Bastille before surfacing again near the river.

Have you walked along Canal Saint-Martin?

06/03/2026

What is “Spanglish” and who decides what counts as “correct” Spanish? 🇺🇸

Spanish is the second most widely spoken language in the U.S., and it is constantly evolving. In this course, we will explore how Spanish is used in real life through music, media, and everyday conversation.
📚 We will also read two engaging novels (in English) that explore language, identity, and the bilingual experience.
📚 LACS 016J / SPLT 50S: Latin American Spanish in the U.S.
🗓 Mon/Wed 4:20–5:45
📍 CRNs: 93503 / 93922
📌 Registration for Fall 2026 is now open.
✨ Taught in English by Professor Vicente Lledó-Guillem
✨ Counts toward the LACS major or minor
✨ Also fulfills distribution requirements:
• LACS 016J: CC, IS
• SPLT 50S: LT
If you're interested in language, culture, identity, or multilingualism, this class is for you.
📩 Questions? [email protected]

06/03/2026

A rare chance to see history up close. 📜

July 1–7, The New York Public Library is displaying one of the jewels of its collections: a copy of the Declaration of Independence, handwritten by Thomas Jefferson.

This copy contains significant differences from the text that was ratified by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776—including a lengthy condemnation of the slave trade that was omitted from the final version—and invites us to reflect on the ongoing work to realize the Declaration’s promise of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Free timed tickets will be released every Monday. Tap the link in the comments to sign up for email updates about tickets and to learn more about other festivities, including special performances, scavenger hunts, and more for the whole family.

06/03/2026

Born June 3, 1906, Josephine Baker was an American-born French dancer and singer who symbolized the beauty and vitality of Black American culture, which took Paris by storm in the 1920s.

Baker began her career as a dancer in New York City. Like many other Black American artists of the 1920s, Baker moved to Paris to escape racial segregation in the United States. Arriving in the city in 1925, she danced at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in La R***e N***e.

She went on to become one of the most popular entertainers in France and achieved star billing at the Folies-Bergère. Baker sang professionally for the first time in 1930, and made several films before World War II curtailed her career.

During World War II, Baker aided the French Resistance and also worked with the British Secret Intelligence Service and the US Secret Service.

Baker became a French citizen in 1937, and died in 1975. In 2021, Baker was inducted into the Panthéon, the Paris mausoleum for the country's most revered figures.

06/02/2026

Born June 2, 1740, in Paris, France, Donatien Alphonse François, Marquis de Sade was a French writer, libertine, political activist, and nobleman.

Born into a noble family, the Marquis de Sade was both infamous and controversial during his lifetime due to numerous scandals. His novels and short stories, some of which explored themes of eroticism, and pleasure, challenged societal norms of the day, and on several occasions led to his imprisonment.

During the French Revolution, he narrowly escaped ex*****on. He was re-arrested in 1801 for his writings and died in 1814, while still incarcerated.

Today, more than two hundred years after his death, the Marquis de Sade's work continues to spark debate and controversy.

06/02/2026

On this date in history, in 1896, Italian-born inventor Guglielmo Marconi applied for the first-ever patent for a system of wireless telegraphy in the United Kingdom.

Generally considered to be the inventor of the radio, Marconi was born in 1874 in Bologna, Italy. His parents were both British citizens and he spent much of his youth in Great Britain. He studied physics at University of Bologna and began to experiment with radio transmissions systems.

In 1897, Marconi sent the first wireless communication over open sea. During World War I, after Italy joined the Allied side, Marconi served in military and naval technical roles connected with wireless communication.

Marconi died in 1937, at the age of 63.

06/02/2026

06/02/2026

From Hofstra, with Pride 🦁🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

Hofstra University is committed to fostering a community of belongingness for all. 💙💛

This Pride Month, explore life at Hofstra through LGBTQIA+-focused resources, clubs/organizations, and other ways to get involved for all students available at: hofstra.edu/lgbtqia/.
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06/01/2026

What is “Spanglish” and who decides what counts as “correct” Spanish? 🇺🇸
Spanish is the second most widely spoken language in the U.S., and it is constantly evolving. In this course, we will explore how Spanish is used in real life through music, media, and everyday conversation.
📚 We will also read two engaging novels (in English) that explore language, identity, and the bilingual experience.
📚 LACS 016J / SPLT 50S: Latin American Spanish in the U.S.
🗓 Mon/Wed 4:20–5:45
📍 CRN: 93503
✨ Taught in English by Professor Vicente Lledó-Guillem
✨ Counts toward the LACS major or minor
✨ Fulfills CC/IS (LACS) or LT (SPLT) requirements
If you're interested in language, culture, identity, or multilingualism, this class is for you.
📌 Interested? Registration for Fall 2026 reopens on June 2.
📩 Questions?[email protected]