In the context of inter-Scandinavian communication, students will further develop their communicative competence, their reading and writing proficiency and cultural understanding in their own target language (Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, or Swedish). Oral and written midterm and final exam.

The course consists of language classes twice a week in addition to a weekly lecture in which we will probe into Scandinavian linguistics and language history. Despite belonging to two distinct language families, the histories of Norwegian, Danish, and Swedish are entwined with those of Finnish. Entangled regional histories, as well as shared culture, experience, and linguistic influence, invite us to consider these languages – of which the former three belong to the Indo-European language family and the latter to the Finno-Ugric family – as Scandinavian ‘sister languages’. Following Ruth Sanders’ novel approach in The Languages of Scandinavia – Seven Sisters of the North, the Wednesday lecture aims to explore characteristics of each language as well as crucial intersections among the languages and their speakers, and their continuing co-development. Our focus in the Wednesday lecture is on Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, and Finnish, but you will also be introduced to their sister languages Icelandic, Faroese and Sámi. At the end of the course, we will dive into other minority languages and multiethnolects in Scandinavia, the use of English in Scandinavian languages, and the role of Scandinavian languages in modern day North America. The Wednesday lecture will provide a theoretical foundation to help you further your competencies within your chosen target language. The language sections will focus on developing your reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills within the chosen language. Enroll in language sections as follows: Danish: Section 101 Finnish: Section 102 Norwegian: Section 103 Swedish: Section 104

Repeat Rules

Course is not repeatable for credit.

Requirements class fulfills