SELCS

Intermediate Modern Icelandic language


Course code: SCAN2004.
Course unit value: 1.0.

This course aims to develop the student’s ability to speak and understand, read and write Icelandic up to an advanced level and to deepen their understanding of the grammar of the language. Particular attention will be given to impersonal and passive constructions and to the use of the subjunctive.

The course is taught by classroom instruction using texts which illustrate everyday life in Iceland, past and present, and literary texts. As well as taking active part in lessons the student will be expected to work on short compositions and essays, read excerpts from several modern Icelandic literary texts, and participate in class discussions in Icelandic.

Assessment: one unseen written examination (50%); one oral examination (30%); and one assessed coursework, broken down into four elements (20%).

Tutor: Dr Helga Hlaðgerður Lúthersdóttir

Preparatory reading and set texts:

  • Jón Gíslason and Sigríður D Þorvaldsdóttir, Landsteinar. Textabók í íslensku fyrir útlendinga (1995 or later).
  • Ásta Svavarsdóttir and Margrét Jónsdóttir, Íslenska fyrir útlendinga. Kennslubók í málfræði (1988 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).
  • Guðrún Helgadóttir, Sitji guðs englar (Iðunn, 1983 or any later edition).

Dictionaries

  • Árni Böðvarsson, Íslensk orðabók handa skólum og almenningi (1988).
  • Jón Skaptason et al., Ensk-íslensk skólaorðabók (1998).
  • Jón Hilmar Jónsson, Orðastaður. Orðabók um íslenska málnotkun (1994).

Short stories to be distributed in class.