EMIR30130 Literacy & Learning Early Irl

Academic Year 2022/2023

Language was an important facet of the vibrant society of Early Ireland. The Irish cultivated not just Latin, the learned language of the Christian church in Europe, but also their own vernacular - Early Irish - to a remarkably high degree of literary skill and sophistication. We will look at several aspects of language in society in Ireland up to the high middle ages, the practitioners of writing and the institutions which fostered it. The main focus will be on Irish, which produced the oldest vernacular literature in medieval Western Europe. From the earliest written remains - the Ogham inscriptions - to the introduction of Irish to Britain and the flowering of a remarkable literature in manuscript, culminating in the great compilations of later medieval times, Irish has a rich and varied history.

The course will address a range of questions, such as the following. How old is Irish? Who wrote it, and for whom? What exactly is Ogham? What sort of literature was written in Early Irish? What are the earliest sources? Is it related to other languages? What other languages were known in Early Ireland? How have historical events impacted on Irish? We will also look at selected inscriptions and samples of literary prose and verse.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of the module, students should be able to

1. assess the interaction of Latin and Irish in the early medieval period
2. identify some of the principal authors and texts of early Ireland
3. describe the earliest stages of the Irish language
4. appreciate the influence on Early Irish of major historical events
5. locate Early Irish within its wider Celtic and Indo-European context

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

24

Specified Learning Activities

26

Autonomous Student Learning

50

Total

100

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Lectures and on-line resources. 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Essay: Essay Week 12 n/a Graded No

50

Essay: Essay Week 6 n/a Graded No

50


Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Written feedback provided post assessment.

Name Role
Assoc Professor Fangzhe Qiu Lecturer / Co-Lecturer