Undergraduate Course: Nordic Languages 2 (ELCS08046)
Course Outline
| School | School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 2 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course is for students who have already studied one of the mainland Scandinavian languages (Danish, Norwegian or Swedish) in their first year at university (or with equivalent skills or qualifications). There will be a particular focus on the development of Danish, Norwegian and Swedish and their similarities and differences. There will also be an introduction to other languages used in the Nordic region. Students will also develop skills and practise speaking and understanding each other across Danish, Norwegian and Swedish, reflecting on the strategies employed, and will translate texts into English from Danish, Norwegian (both Bokmål and Nynorsk) and Swedish. |
| Course description |
Beginning with a broad historical overview, this course will explain the background to why Danish, Norwegian and Swedish are so close to each other. The course will establish a model to approach the differences between these languages in a systematic way, with their interrelationships being analysed through the study of modern text samples. The course will also contextualise the broader sociolinguistic situation of the Nordic countries by offering insights into other languages used in the region, such as Faroese, Finnish, Greenlandic, Icelandic, the Sámi languages and sign languages.
Having learned about the historical developments of Danish, Norwegian and Swedish, and analysed their differences in writing, the course will provide opportunities for students to engage in Scandinavian intercommunication. Through reading, listening and interactive speaking tasks, students will be able to practise speaking with and understanding each other across the three languages (depending on the class composition).
The final focus of the course is an introduction into the field of translation, encompassing translation from Danish, Norwegian (both Bokmål and Nynorsk) and Swedish as an opportunity to demonstrate students' growing understanding of the Scandinavian languages as a whole and to discover a rewarding way of applying these skills in relation to written language. Students will also gain insights into topical issues in the translation profession.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
Students MUST have passed:
Danish 1 (ELCS08033) OR
Norwegian 1 (ELCS08028) OR
Swedish 1 (ELCS08027)
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | For pre-requisites students must have passed the courses as detailed or have an equivalent level of knowledge of Danish, Norwegian, or Swedish. |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | Students should have Danish/Norwegian/Swedish language skills at CEFR level A2 or above; entry to this course may be subject to a language test on arrival and is at the discretion of the course-organiser. |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2026/27, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 0 |
| Course Start |
Full Year |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 42,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
154 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
For student information: included in parentheses below are details of the Learning Outcomes (LOs) to which each assessment component contributes.
1. Text analysis - 25% (LO 1)
Analysis of differences between Scandinavian texts, c. 600 words
2. Linguistic diversity project - 25% (LO 2)
Individual/group posters on linguistic diversity, c. 250 words
3. 4 x written blog pieces on Scandinavian intercommunication @ c. 300 words each - 0% (formative) (LO 3)
4. Reflective essay on Scandinavian intercommunication c. 1,000 words - 25% (LO 3)
5. Translation assessment - 25% (LO 4)
Approx. 750 words to translate from source texts and 750 words of commentary |
| Feedback |
All summative assessments will receive feedback within three weeks.
Formative reflective blog posts on intercommunication will receive feedback quicker. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate a broad understanding of the history of Danish, Norwegian and Swedish, as well as illustrate knowledge of the characteristic linguistic features distinguishing each of these languages
- Contextualise and critique key characteristics of a variety of sociolinguistic situations in the Nordic region, including Indigenous and minority languages
- Show reflective and critical evaluation of own intercommunication skills in Scandinavian, contextualised by awareness of patterns of Scandinavian intercommunication in research
- Evaluate various strategies and approaches when translating from Scandinavian languages into English, reflecting upon the appropriateness of different solutions
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
- You will learn to use a range of approaches to formulate and critically evaluate evidence-based responses to problems and issues in relation to the similarities and differences between the mainland Scandinavian languages.
- You will develop your ability to undertake critical analysis, evaluation and synthesis of ideas, concepts and issues in relation to linguistic diversity in the Nordic region.
- You will apply knowledge, skills and understanding in using a range of professional skills, techniques and practices associated with the subject (intercommunication between the Scandinavian languages, and translation from Scandinavian languages into English), a few of which are advanced and complex.- You will develop skills to practise in ways that show awareness of your own and others' roles, responsibilities and contributions when carrying out and evaluating communicative tasks across the Scandinavian languages.
- You will develop your ability to convey complex information to a range of audiences and for a range of purposes, in a structured and coherent way. |
| Keywords | Language,linguistics,Nordic,Scandinavian,Danish,Norwegian,Swedish,Icelandic,translation |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Ms Julie Larsen
Tel: (0131 6)51 1363
Email: Julie.Larsen@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | |
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