Scandinavian Languages A

About the course

Would you like to understand how the Scandinavian languages are structured, how they are used and how they differ from one another? Scandinavian Languages A provides a broad introduction to the Scandinavian languages from a linguistic perspective, while allowing you to develop both your language awareness and your communication skills.

The course provides a basic introduction to language structure and linguistic methods, allowing you to explore how language works at different levels, from sounds and grammar to meaning and use. You will also develop your understanding of Danish and Norwegian through introductory courses in both languages. You will learn about the historical background of the languages and how they differ from one another and from Swedish at different linguistic levels. Practical exercises will help you develop your language comprehension. The module in spoken and written communication will also develop your ability to speak and write clearly, effectively and with an awareness of language and style.

Your studies will combine lectures, seminars and practical exercises designed to develop your confidence in linguistic analysis and deepen your understanding of the similarities and differences between the Scandinavian languages. Whether you want to continue your studies in linguistics, strengthen your skills for your future career or are simply curious about how the Nordic languages work, the course provides a solid and inspiring foundation.

The course consists of four modules:

Language Structure, 7.5 credits

Language Structure is a module in Swedish grammar. You will learn how Swedish is structured, from words and how they combine to form phrases and clauses to complete sentences. You will also learn how speech sounds are produced and how they sound, how words are formed, and how their meanings can be described.

The module provides a solid foundation for further language studies by increasing your awareness of the language system. At the same time, you will acquire the terminology and analytical tools needed to describe aspects of your own language proficiency that you already use intuitively but may find difficult to describe and analyse.

Speaking and Writing, 7.5 credits

This practical module gives you the opportunity to develop your speaking and writing skills and to adapt your communication to different situations and audiences. You will practise writing texts for different audiences and giving presentations to a small group, skills that are useful in a wide range of contexts.

Danish (Introductory Course), 7.5 credits

Danish and Swedish are closely related languages, yet Swedish speakers often find spoken Danish difficult to understand. On this introductory course in Danish, you will learn more about the Danish language, including its grammar, history, vocabulary and pronunciation. Danish is studied in relation to Swedish, enabling you to develop a good practical understanding of both spoken and written Danish.

You will also gain insight into the historical factors that may help explain differences between Danish and Swedish culture and identity. In this way, you will become better equipped to understand and communicate with Danish speakers.

Norwegian (Introductory Course), 7.5 credits

Norwegian: almost like Swedish, only more fun, or rather, morsommere! By working with a wide range of language examples from different genres, you will discover the many Norwegian words and expressions that are similar to or different from their Swedish counterparts, including those that are difficult to understand and those that are deceptively easy to misunderstand.

The module is primarily theoretical and involves working with a large and varied selection of written and spoken Norwegian. It also provides a general overview of Norwegian identity and the Norwegian language situation from a historical perspective.

You will be introduced to Norway’s rather unusual linguistic situation, with two closely related written standards, Bokmål and Nynorsk, but no single standard form of spoken Norwegian and instead a rich diversity of living dialects. By the end of the module, you will have developed a good basic understanding of Norwegian and a solid foundation for continuing to develop your knowledge of the language.