Scandinavian Languages 2 (MA)
A.Y. 2024/2025
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.
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 course ('corso monografico') consists of two parts (part A: 20 hours in the autumn 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 from 'Vápnfirðinga saga'.
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): The syllabus will be available by the beginning of the course.
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 and the first MA year: Danish (M. Christensen), Norwegian (J. Riseth), or Swedish (A. Brännström).
In order to improve their passive competence in a third Scandinavian language, students will attend some practical classes in the remaining Scandinavian language from the 3rd-year BA course (ca. 10 lessons). Students are advised to contact the teacher of the third language as soon as possible for more details.
The course corresponds to 9 ECTS.
This course syllabus is valid until February 2026.
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 from 'Vápnfirðinga saga'.
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): The syllabus will be available by the beginning of the course.
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 and the first MA year: Danish (M. Christensen), Norwegian (J. Riseth), or Swedish (A. Brännström).
In order to improve their passive competence in a third Scandinavian language, students will attend some practical classes in the remaining Scandinavian language from the 3rd-year BA course (ca. 10 lessons). Students are advised to contact the teacher of the third language as soon as possible for more details.
The course corresponds to 9 ECTS.
This course syllabus is valid until February 2026.
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.
The course is accompanied by practical classes ("esercitazioni"). See the specific page for details.
Teaching Resources
PART A:
Text: 'Vápnfirðinga saga. La saga degli abitanti del Vápnfjörðr', a cura di M. Micci, Alessandria, Edizioni dell'orso, 2023.
Other materials and linguistic tools will be 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.
Text: 'Vápnfirðinga saga. La saga degli abitanti del Vápnfjörðr', a cura di M. Micci, Alessandria, Edizioni dell'orso, 2023.
Other materials and linguistic tools will be 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.
The written exam includes: 1) listening comprehension: listening of a text from a file track and written answers to questions (ca. 30 mins; in PC room with personal headphones); 2) reading comprehension: readers with questions (ca. 40 mins); 3) written production: short essay (ca. 150-200 words) on a given subject (ca. 120 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 (to be appointed) 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.
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 MyAriel 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 classes (esercitazioni) on a regular basis (at least 75% of lessons per term) can take 'partial' tests at the end of each term (November/December and May). These partial tests replace the written exam and 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 test results of November/December and May.
The passive competence in the third 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.
The written exam includes: 1) listening comprehension: listening of a text from a file track and written answers to questions (ca. 30 mins; in PC room with personal headphones); 2) reading comprehension: readers with questions (ca. 40 mins); 3) written production: short essay (ca. 150-200 words) on a given subject (ca. 120 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 (to be appointed) 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.
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 MyAriel 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 classes (esercitazioni) on a regular basis (at least 75% of lessons per term) can take 'partial' tests at the end of each term (November/December and May). These partial tests replace the written exam and 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 test results of November/December and May.
The passive competence in the third 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
Professors:
Dell'Aquila Vittorio, Meregalli Andrea
Educational website(s)
Professor(s)
Reception:
Monday, 3 p.m. on Teams (code: 0pl49fy) 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