126-475 Germanic Languages

This subject is taught in German. Formerly available as 126-027. Students who have completed 126-027 are not eligible to enrol in this subject.

37.5 points of second/third-year subjects in German language. European studies students wishing to enrol in this subject would normally have completed 37.5 points of European studies at second/third year, see Prerequisites.

Germanic languages constitute one branch of the Indo-European language family. Languages as diverse as German, English, Icelandic, Afrikaans, Yiddish and Pennsylvania German (and quite a few more) all share a common origin. In this subject students will discuss how such languages now differ from each other; how they came to achieve the status of separate languages; and how a knowledge of one or more sheds light on developments in others, including dialectal variation. A knowledge of English and German will be presupposed, but students with a knowledge of other Germanic languages will find that most advantageous.

• have acquired skills in research, critical thinking and contextualising information;

• also have developed skills in communicating knowledge intelligibly through oral presentations and essays in German.

A 1000 word class paper during semester (3rd year) and a 1200 word class paper (during semester) (4th year) 30%, and an essay of 3000 words (end of semester) (3rd year) 4000 words (end of semester) (4th year) 70%.

A subject reader will be supplied by the Department.