Cultural and Textual Translatio in Medieval Scandinavia
Course Content
This course has its roots in an ongoing research project on Scandinavian medieval manuscript
culture. The primary focus is placed on the transformations taking place during a process of
cultural and textual translatio from one context to another, a process which entails a dynamic
interplay between two separate but also related sub-cultures. Emphasis will be placed on
theoretical and methodological issues concerning the relation between source and target
cultures in various kinds of translations. The theoretical perspectives will then be elucidated
by means of various textual examples. Finally, the empirical evidence of textual translatio
will be discussed from the broader perspectives of development of literacy culture and
mentality history.
Learning outcomes
The students will acquire knowledge about various theoretical approaches towards reading
medieval texts and about the implications of textual transmission in the Middle Ages. They
will become acquainted with both relevant textual excerpts and medieval manuscripts,
produced in different cultural contexts, containing these texts. The course will be an integral
part of the master’s programme in Nordic Viking and Medieval Culture and the master’s
programme in Old Norse philology.
The course syllabus will consist of literature amounting to approximately 1000 pages. The
reading list will be set up by the teacher or the student may make his/her own list in
agreement with the teacher.