Introduces undergraduate students to the grammar of the vernacular written language of Iceland and Norway in the Middle Ages. Linguistic mastery is emphasized. By the end of the semester students should be able to read saga style Old Norse prose texts in normalized orthography with the help of a dictionary. To this end, lectures will lay out the morphology of the Old Norse language systematically and thoroughly. In addition to the lectures, much of the in-class time will be devoted to translating and close reading of extracts of Old Norse texts.

This course introduces students to the written vernacular language of medieval Iceland and Norway. Class sessions focus on the grammatical structure of Old Norse, the translation of texts into English, and close reading of Old Norse prose passages. By the end of the semester, students will be able to read saga-style prose in normalized orthography with the aid of a dictionary.

Assignments include translation exercises, grammatical analyses, quizzes, a midterm examination, and a final exam. Regular attendance and active participation are expected.

Texts: Geir T. Zoëga’s A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic (any edition) in hardcopy. Additional texts will be distributed by the instructor.

Prerequisites: none

Repeat Rules

Course is not repeatable for credit.

Requirements class fulfills