Course Catalogue

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This course provides an introduction to Old Icelandic, providing the foundation necessary for students to engage with the saga literature produced in medieval Iceland in its original form.

1x1hr seminar (whole class); 1x1hr tutorial (smaller groups) per week over 10 weeks as scheduled on MyCampus.

This is one of the Honours options in English Language and Linguistics and may not run every year. The options that are running this session are available on MyCampus.

Available to all students fulfilling requirements for Honours entry into English Language and Linguistics, and by arrangement to visiting students or students of other Honours programmes who qualify under the University's 25% regulation.

ENGLANG4011 Old Icelandic

ENGLANG5030 Old Icelandic Language

None

The standard assessments for this course are: 

■ Examination (90 minutes) - 50% 

■ Class test (50 minutes) - 25% 

■ Portfolio of online tests - 25% 

If required, for instance where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, the following alternatives are available: 

■ There are no alternatives to the exam, but extra time/special sitting arrangements for candidates with relevant provision can be offered as reasonable adjustment (Students should follow the usual process for extensions). 

■ There are no alternatives to the class test, but extra time/special sitting arrangements for candidates with that provision can be offered as reasonable adjustment (Students should follow the usual process for extensions). 

Further reasonable adjustments may be provided where necessary. Students are encouraged to consult with the course convenor.  

This course aims to:

■ develop a reading knowledge of Old Icelandic prose;

■ build a vocabulary (passive and active) of the most frequently occurring words in Old Icelandic prose;

■ develop skills in analysing and explaining the structure and grammar of Old Icelandic prose.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ translate an unseen prose passage from Old Icelandic accurately into appropriate present-day English;

■ supply the meaning of common Old Icelandic words divorced from context;

■ identify and comment on grammatical constructions in an Old Icelandic text;

■ apply grammatical knowledge in class exercises, exams and assessments including translation from English into Old Icelandic of simple sentences;

■ explain and apply the effect of basic sound changes relevant to understanding and accounting for apparent irregularities in inflexion.