Scandinavian Languages (MA)
A.Y. 2026/2027
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 a second 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 a second Scandinavian language at level B2.
Lesson period: year
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
year
Course syllabus
The official course ('corso monografico') consists of two parts (part A: 20 hours in the spring term; part B: 40 hours in the spring term).
PART A (A. Meregalli):
"Introduction to Old Norse".
The course will present and discuss the basic elements of Old Norse morphology and syntax through the analysis of selected passages.
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 and on the MyAriel platform.
PART B (V. Dell'Aquila):
Details on this content will be available by the beginning of the spring term.
The contrastive approach of all parts will 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 (S. Zacher Carlsen), Norwegian (teacher to be appointed), or Swedish (A. Brännström).
In order to improve their passive competence in the other two Scandinavian languages (not studied as major languages), students will attend some practical classes in the other Scandinavian languages from the 3rd-year BA course (ca. 6 lessons per language). Students are advised to contact the two language teachers at the beginning of the year for practical 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 2028.
PART A (A. Meregalli):
"Introduction to Old Norse".
The course will present and discuss the basic elements of Old Norse morphology and syntax through the analysis of selected passages.
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 and on the MyAriel platform.
PART B (V. Dell'Aquila):
Details on this content will be available by the beginning of the spring term.
The contrastive approach of all parts will 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 (S. Zacher Carlsen), Norwegian (teacher to be appointed), or Swedish (A. Brännström).
In order to improve their passive competence in the other two Scandinavian languages (not studied as major languages), students will attend some practical classes in the other Scandinavian languages from the 3rd-year BA course (ca. 6 lessons per language). Students are advised to contact the two language teachers at the beginning of the year for practical 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 2028.
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 at least one Scandinavian language at B2 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 assignments; self-study of critical literature. The official course (corso monografico) - part B (V. Dell'Aquila) takes place mostly online according to a schedule published on the MyAriel page at the beginning of the spring term.
The course is accompanied by practical classes ("esercitazioni"). See the specific page for details.
The course is accompanied by practical classes ("esercitazioni"). See the specific page for details.
Teaching Resources
PART A:
- a collection of passages prepared by the course instructor;
- additional materials and texts available on the MyAriel page.
The reading list for part B will be available before the beginning of the spring term.
Non-attending students are advised to contact both teachers as soon as possible.
- a collection of passages prepared by the course instructor;
- additional materials and texts available on the MyAriel page.
The reading list for part B will be available before the beginning of the spring term.
Non-attending students are advised to contact both teachers as soon as possible.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The exam is both written and oral.
WRITTEN EXAM
The written exam includes:
1) listening comprehension: listening of a text from a file track and written answers to questions (ca. 25 mins; in PC room with personal headphones);
2) reading comprehension: readers with questions (ca. 25 mins);
3) written production: short essay (min. 220-max. 250 words) on a given subject (ca. 90 mins). For part 3 only, the use of a monolingual dictionary is permitted.
ORAL EXAM
The oral exam consists of three parts:
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);
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);
3) a face-to-face interview in a Scandinavian language with the course instructor (V. Dell'Aquila) on the contents of part B of 'corso monografico' (ca. 20-30 mins): a preliminary written assignment might be required (see details on the MyAriel 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 text 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.
PARTIAL TESTS
Students that attend the practical classes (esercitazioni) on a regular basis (at least 75% of lessons per term) can take 'partial' tests during calsses. These partial tests replace the written exam anf the oral exam-part 1. The contents and structure of the partial tests are similar to the corresponding exam parts (see above). The final grade is based on the results of all the single tests.
Also for the offical course (corso monografico) - part A there will be a partial test that replaces the corresponding part of the oral exam.
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).
MARKS
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 MyAriel platform.
The oral exam-parts 2 and 3 are graded on a 30-point scale.
The final mark is awarded on a 30-point scale and takes into account the results of the oral exam-parts 2 and 3 (50%) and of the other parts (50%).
The student can reject the result of the written and/or oral exam (in the latter case, this will be registered as "ritirato"/withdrawn).
UNDERSTANDING THE OTHER SCANDINAVIAN LANGUAGES
Students are expected to demonstrate their ability to understand and interact with speakers of the other two Scandinavian languages (not studied as major language). Active use of the other Scandinavian languages is not required, but only their passive, oral and written, comprehension. For this purpose, each student will attend and actively participate in 6 lessons of the BA third-year classes for each of the other two Scandinavian languages. These lessons are to be arranged with the two language teachers at the beginning of the year.
Those who are unable to attend these lessons must make arrangements with both language teachers for an alternative individual syllabus and take interviews during the oral examination, possibly with preliminary written assignments.
There is no mark for this part, only a "pass/fail" assessment.
International or Erasmus incoming students are required to contact the course instructors 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.
WRITTEN EXAM
The written exam includes:
1) listening comprehension: listening of a text from a file track and written answers to questions (ca. 25 mins; in PC room with personal headphones);
2) reading comprehension: readers with questions (ca. 25 mins);
3) written production: short essay (min. 220-max. 250 words) on a given subject (ca. 90 mins). For part 3 only, the use of a monolingual dictionary is permitted.
ORAL EXAM
The oral exam consists of three parts:
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);
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);
3) a face-to-face interview in a Scandinavian language with the course instructor (V. Dell'Aquila) on the contents of part B of 'corso monografico' (ca. 20-30 mins): a preliminary written assignment might be required (see details on the MyAriel 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 text 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.
PARTIAL TESTS
Students that attend the practical classes (esercitazioni) on a regular basis (at least 75% of lessons per term) can take 'partial' tests during calsses. These partial tests replace the written exam anf the oral exam-part 1. The contents and structure of the partial tests are similar to the corresponding exam parts (see above). The final grade is based on the results of all the single tests.
Also for the offical course (corso monografico) - part A there will be a partial test that replaces the corresponding part of the oral exam.
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).
MARKS
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 MyAriel platform.
The oral exam-parts 2 and 3 are graded on a 30-point scale.
The final mark is awarded on a 30-point scale and takes into account the results of the oral exam-parts 2 and 3 (50%) and of the other parts (50%).
The student can reject the result of the written and/or oral exam (in the latter case, this will be registered as "ritirato"/withdrawn).
UNDERSTANDING THE OTHER SCANDINAVIAN LANGUAGES
Students are expected to demonstrate their ability to understand and interact with speakers of the other two Scandinavian languages (not studied as major language). Active use of the other Scandinavian languages is not required, but only their passive, oral and written, comprehension. For this purpose, each student will attend and actively participate in 6 lessons of the BA third-year classes for each of the other two Scandinavian languages. These lessons are to be arranged with the two language teachers at the beginning of the year.
Those who are unable to attend these lessons must make arrangements with both language teachers for an alternative individual syllabus and take interviews during the oral examination, possibly with preliminary written assignments.
There is no mark for this part, only a "pass/fail" assessment.
International or Erasmus incoming students are required to contact the course instructors 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.
Modules or teaching units
Part A and B
GERM-01/D - Nordic Languages and Literatures - University credits: 6
Lessons: 40 hours
Professor:
Dell'Aquila Vittorio
Part C
GERM-01/D - Nordic Languages and Literatures - University credits: 3
Lessons: 20 hours
Professor:
Meregalli Andrea
Professor(s)
Reception:
No office hours in 2026 due to sabbatical leave
Department of Languages, Literatures, Cultures and Mediations. Piazza S. Alessandro, 1