Icelandic Level 3 plus

Prerequisite for entry

Basic knowledge of Icelandic (successful completion of Icelandic syllabus 3 at UCL Language Centre or other comparable studies).

Term duration

10 x 2-hour classes.

Aims and objectives

The aim of the course is to enable students with a good basic knowledge of basic Icelandic to discuss personal and social issues using appropriate structures. Cultural awareness will be further developed through an extended use of authentic material. Declension will still play a major part, with the aim of it becoming second nature.

Functions

• Expressing need, inevitability, possibility, duty, longing etc (using the auxiliary verbs eiga að / hljóta að / kunna að / mega / vilja / þurfa að)
• Expressing pains & illnesses
• Explaining and defending your personal opinions
• Art & Society
• Describing journeys
• Customs and holidays
• Writing letters and postcards (e.g. ordering hotels, getting information, Christmas cards, complaints)

Linguistic structures/ Phonetics

• Revision of problematic sounds
• Linking words correctly

Grammar

• Verbs: irregular verbs in the singular. Emphasis on recurring patterns
• Prepositions: all common prepositions and their usage
• Declension. Some irregular nouns. Revision of other nouns.
• J-insertion in verbs, nouns & adjectives
• impersonal constructions (pain, dreams, longing, needs)

Learning resources

• Course book: Colloquial Icelandic, Daisy Newman;
• Learning Icelandic, Mál & Menning
• Teacher’s handouts
• Online material from Bragi - íslenska

Dictionaries

• Glossaries from Colloquial Icelandic & Learning Icelandic
• Íslensk ensk orðabók - Iðunn
• Ensk-íslensk skólaorðabók – Mál & Menning
• Ordabok

In addition there is a wide range of language learning materials for self-study in the Self-Access Centre.