This module is part of the Academic Mastery program. Please apply to the AM program before enrolling in this course

The Beginning Old Norse series is designed to learn the basics of reading and translating Old Norse from the ground up. Old Norse is a term used broadly to refer to languages and dialects of Viking Age and Medieval Scandinavia, and sometimes more specifically to refer to Old Icelandic, the form of the language used in Medieval Iceland. It was in Old Icelandic that the largest body of pre-modern Scandinavian literature was written, including the prose sagas and a wealth of mythological and legendary poetry. No prior knowledge of the language or study of historical languages is assumed or required.

Beginning Old Norse 1 provides a complete overview of Old Norse grammar, while also starting to explore assisted readings in the original Old Norse language.This course begins with a focus on Old Norse-Icelandic grammar, with the immediate aim of helping students develop basic reading abilities in the language, while also highlighting connections to other Germanic languages as a gateway to Germanic philology. We begin by gently learning the grammar through exercises, synthesizing basic knowledge of building blocks of the Old Norse grammatical system.

Format: 2 hours of lectures per week; 2 hours of live class meetings per week, for 7 weeks, with an assessment week at the end.

Assessments: Ungraded exercises reviewed in class; one graded exam at the end of the module

Goals and Skills:

This series is graduate level in intensity.

Fee: 3 Signum Tokens