Scandinavian Languages 2 (MA)

A.Y. 2022/2023
9
Max ECTS
60
Overall hours
SSD
L-LIN/15
Language
Italian
Learning objectives
The course will present and discuss issues of synchronic and/or diachronic Scandinavian linguistics focusing on methodological aspects in view of scientific research. The final linguistic competence in the chosen Scandinavian language corresponds to level C1+. The student will also strengthen their passive knowledge of the third Scandinavian language at level B2.
Expected learning outcomes
The student will be able to recognize problems of synchronic and/or diachronic Scandinavian linguistics and apply adequate methodological resources to investigate them with a scientific approach. In the chosen Scandinavian language, the student will develop skills in reading, listening, writing, and speaking, according to level C1+. She/he will also strengthen reading and understanding abilities in the third Scandinavian language at level B2.
Single course

This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.

Course syllabus and organization

Single session

Responsible
Lesson period
year
Course syllabus
The course ('corso monografico') consists of two parts (part A: 20 hours; part B: 40 hours), which both take place in the spring term 2023, according to a schedule published on the Ariel platform.

PART A (A. Meregalli):
"Introduction to Old Norse: reading 'Kormáks saga'".
The course aims to introduce the main phonological, morphological, and syntactic aspects of Old Norse through the reading and linguistic comment of selected passages from 'Kormáks saga'. The student will learn how to translate and comment the text with the help of basic instruments.
Students who attend classes will have the possibility to take a preliminary exam on part A at the end of the course. More details will be given in class.

PART B (A. Romanzi):
"Typological-comparative approaches to the study of Scandinavian languages II. Macrostructures: syntax and textual structures"
This course part consists of two sections:
1. Frontal lessons introducing the main principles for the study of Scandinavian syntax;
2. an interactive seminar in which students will analyse texts of vzarious genres in Danish, Norwegian, Swediswh, and Italian. Students will also translato into Italian extracts from Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish novels and will discuss their translation strategies on the basis of typological aspects of the languages involved.
This course parts aims to 1. study the Scandinavian languages from a typological-conmparative perspective with a focus on macrostructures; 2. investigate the typological characteristics of the Scandianvian languages compared and contrasted with Italian; 3. widen lexical knowledge; 4. investigate the mechanisms of textual organisation; 5. analyse and understand translation activities and strategies through the typological approach.
All students (whether attending or non-attending classes) will have to deliver a written assignment commenting on one the literary texts and its Italian translation in the light of the typological aspects analysed during the course. More details on the assignment will ne discussed in class and published on the Ariel platform.

The contrastive approach of all partswill help students refine their passive competence in all Scandinavian languages.

The course is accompanied by practical classes ("esercitazioni") over the whole year (see description on the specific page). The student will choose the same language as in the BA course: Danish (A. Lindegaard), Norwegian (F.Th. Øverland), or Swedish (A. Brännström).
In order to improve their passive competence in a second Scandinavian language, students will attend some practical classes in a second Scandinavian language of their choice from the 3rd-year BA course (ca. 10 lessons). Students are advised to contact the teacher of the chosen language as soon as possible for more details.

The course corresponds to 9 ECTS. MA students from study programmes other than Foreign Languages can earn 6 ECTS if it is explicitly allowed by their syllabus. These students are advised to contact the course instructor (A. Meregalli) as soon as possible.

This course syllabus is valid until February 2024.
Prerequisites for admission
The course is almost entirely taught in the Scandinavian languages and the materials are in Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish. A knowledge of one Scandinavian language at C1- level is therefore required.
Teaching methods
Teaching methodologies: frontal lessons; class discussions of linguistic issues; practical activities in class and individually; individual production of written material; self-study of critical literature.
The course is accompanied by practical classes ("esercitazioni"). See the specific page for details.
Teaching Resources
PART A:
Text:
- "La saga di Kormákr", ed. by S. Cosimini, Alessandria 2021. (Old Norse passages analysed in class will be available on the Ariel platform).
Powerpoint presentations used for classes and further materials will be available on the Ariel page.
Non-attending students will replace the above mentioned text with:
- J.L. Byock, "Viking language 1", 2nd edition, 2017, chaps. 1-8 (see the Ariel platform and contact the teacher for more details).

PART B:
Reading list (available on the Ariel page or at the Library of Foreign Languages):
· Faarlund, J.T., 2019, 'The Syntax of Mainland Scandinavia', Oxford: Oxford UP (chaps. 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8)
· Korzen I., L. Lundquist, eds., 2005, 'Sprogtypologi og oversættelse', København: HHS i København (chaps. Innledning, II A, II B, III)
· Korzen I., 2004, "Dalla microstruttura alla macrostruttura", in D'Achille, P. (a cura di), 'Generi, architetture e forme testuali'. Atti del VII Convegno SILFI, Firenze: Franco Cesati, 363-376.
· Korzen I., 2005, "Endocentric and exocentric languages in translation". 'Perspective: Studies in Translatology' 13, 1: 21-37.
Further details and materials will be available on the Ariel page.
Non-attending students are advised to contact the teacher as soon as possible.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The exam is both written and oral.
The written exam includes: 1) listening comprehension: listening of a text from a file track and written answers to questions (ca. 30 mins); 2) reading comprehension: readers with questions (ca. 40 mins); 3) written production: short essay (ca. 150-200 words) on a given subject (ca. 90 mins). For part 3 only, the use of a monolingual dictionary is permitted.
The oral exam consists of three parts. Part 1: a face-to-face dialogue in a Scandinavian language with the mother-tongue teacher on themes corresponding to the contents of the practical course, normally including reading of an article (ca. 20 mins). Part 2: a face-to-face interview in a Scandinavian language with the course instructor (A. Meregalli) on the contents of part A of 'corso monografico' (ca. 15 mins). Part 3: a face-to-face interview in a Scandinavian language with the course instructor (A. Romanzi) on the contents of part B of 'corso monografico' (ca. 20-30 mins): a preliminary written assignment might be required (see details on the Ariel page).
In part 1 the student will need to show their ability to express themself and interact in the Scandinavian language at the required level. Part 2 will start with reading and translating into Italian a passage in Old Norse and will continue with a linguistic comment in order to ascertain: the student's knowledge and understanding of the lessons and the readings; their ability to critically analyse and discuss linguistic issues; their use of technical terminology. Part 3 is a dialogue with questions on the course contents and the readings (including the written assignment, if required); the aim is to ascertain the student's knowledge and understanding of the course contents and of the readings, their ability to critically analyse and discuss linguistic issues, their use of technical terminology.
The student can choose whether to take the written or the oral exam first. The three parts of the oral exam need be taken on the same day. The whole exam must be completed within a year from the first part (written or oral).
The written exam and the oral exam-part 1 are graded with letters (from A=excellent to E=satisfactory; F=failed). The results of the written exam are published on the Ariel platform. The oral exam-parts 2 and 3 are graded on a 30-point scale. The final grade is awarded on a 30-point scale and takes into accout the results of the oral exam-parts 2 and 3 (50%) and of the other parts (50%).
Students that attend the practical course (esercitazioni) on a regular basis (at least 75% of lessons per term) can take 'partial' tests at the end of each term (December and May). These partial tests replace the written exam. The contents and structure of the partial tests are similar to the written exam (see above). The final grade is based on the test results of December and May.
The passive competence in the second Scandinavian language is assessed in a face-to-face dialogue with the mother-tongue teacher. Before this exam, the student will write and deliver a paper according to the teacher's instructions. This interview must take place on the same day as the oral exam. Students that attend the course regularly can replace this part of the exam with other acitivities to be discussed with the instructor. For this part there is no grade, only a "passed/failed" assessment.
The student can reject the result of the written and/or oral exam (in the latter case, this will be registered as "ritirato"/withdrawn).
International or Erasmus incoming students are required to contact the teacher as soon as possible. Students with SLD are advised to contact the teachers in order to plan specific exam activities according to the instructions of the office in charge.
L-LIN/15 - NORDIC LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES - University credits: 9
Lessons: 60 hours
Professor(s)
Reception:
Monday, 2 p.m. on Teams or at office. Please contact me in advance in order to organize office hours.
Department of Languages, Literatures, Cultures and Mediations. Piazza S. Alessandro, 1