Current active course description (last updated 2024/25)
Early English
ENG2020
Current active course description (last updated 2024/25)
Early English
ENG2020
Learn English as it was spoken over a thousand years ago, and discover how the English nation emerged from the ruins of the Roman province of Britannia, into complex rivalry and alliances with Celts, Danes and Franks.
The course provides an introduction to Old English in its historical context. We examine the reasons behind the Anglo-Saxon settlement of the former Roman province of Britannia, the factors behind the emergence of England as a nation under King Alfred, and the nature of Anglo-Saxon England's complex relations to Scandinavia, France and Normandy. By working through a series of original texts in Old English, the student will acquire knowledge of sound structure and pronunciation, spelling, vocabulary, and the principles of word formation and sentence construction.
This course is available for students enrolled in Bachelor of English with adequate degree progression ( 45 ECTS). The course is also offered for students from other programs who have completed and passed 60 ECTS (or more) of English. The course is also open to exchange/international students.
This course is available for students enrolled in Bachelor of English with adequate degree progression ( 45 ECTS). The course is also offered for students from other programs who have completed and passed 60 ECTS (or more) of English. The course is also open to exchange/international students.
KNOWLEDGE
After completing the course, students will be able to:
- explain word formation and sentence structure in Old English
- explain the reasons for and characteristics of the Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain, the factors underlying the emergence of the English nation, and the nature of relations with Scandinavia and Normandy
- account for place of Old English within Germanic and Indo-European, and contact relations with Celtic and other languages
SKILLS
After completing the course, students will be able to:
- read a text in Old English out loud in reconstructed pronunciation
- translate a simple text in Old English to Modern English
- locate and evaluate scholarly sources for Anglo-Saxon studies
- discuss matters related to Anglo-Saxon studies using appropriate concepts and terminology
- maintain, update and broaden one's knowledge of Old English and Anglo-Saxon studies
COMPETENCIES
After completing the course, students will be able to:
- reflect on differences between cultures separated in time and apply to one's own time
- critically evaluate the use of Anglo-Saxon elements in today's culture and media
- communicate the relevance of Anglo-Saxon studies to our own time
No costs beyond semester fee and course books.
Elective; required for Bachelor of English.
The teaching will be part lectures, part seminars and group work, with follow-up activities on Canvas where applicable. Campus teaching, 12 weeks, 6 hours per week: 3 hours of history and literature (seminar, group work), 3 hours of language (group work).
Study programmes are evaluated annually and students participate in course evaluations (midterm and end-of-term). Evaluations occur as a part of the university's quality control system.
Obligatory participation 85 %, approved / not approved
Compulsory participation must be approved to receive the final grade.
Portfolio - consisting of three written texts, counts 100 % of total grade, assessed A-F
1: From the Migration Period to the Christianization of Anglo-Saxon England
2: From Viking Invasions to the Norman Conquest
3: Grammar and Translation (Old English to Modern English)
All support materials
Generating an answer using ChatGPT or similar artificial intelligence and submitting it wholly or partially as one's own answer is considered cheating
Students should have a solid basis in grammar and phonetics, e.g. SP170L English Language and Linguistics, or equivalent.