SELCS

Basic Modern Icelandic


Course code: SCAN1004.
Course unit value: 1.0.

This course aims to give students insight into the Icelandic language, its structure and history. The course equips students with a basic knowledge of Icelandic, both written and spoken, so that they will be able to read elementary texts, engage in simple daily conversation, and pursue further studies in the modern language.

Students will gain knowledge of the fundamentals of Icelandic grammar, vocabulary, sentence structure and pronunciation. Modern texts will be studied as well, and students will practise both spoken and written Icelandic to develop their skills in expressing themselves in Icelandic. In addition, the course will cover in broad outline the history of the language and contemporary ‘language politics’ (loan-words, neologisms etc.)

Assessment: one unseen three-hour written examination (50%); one oral
examination (20%); and one course assessment, broken down into three elements (30%).

Tutor: Dr Helga Hlaðgerður Lúthersdóttir

Preparatory reading and set texts:

Dictionaries

  • Sverrir Hólmarsson, C Sanders & J Tucker, Íslensk-ensk orðabók (1989).
  • Jón Skaptason et al., Ensk-íslensk skólaorðabók (1998).

Reading

  • Jón Gíslason and Sigríður D Þorvaldsdóttir, Málnotkun. Íslenska fyrir útlendinga (1991 or later).
  • Ásta Svavarsdóttir, Æfingar með enskum glósum og leiðréttingalyklum við bókina ‘Íslenska fyrir útlendinga’(1993 or later).
  • Daisy L. Neijmann, Colloquial Icelandic: The Complete Course for Beginners (reprinted edn. Routledge 2002; book and CD/cassettes).
  • Jón Gíslason and Sigríður D Þorvaldsdóttir, Landsteinar. Textabók í íslensku fyrir útlendinga (1995 or later).