On the Somali Language Situation for Native Speakers

The course is offered as a free-standing course.

The course highlights the Somali language from sociolinguistic, historical, lexicological, and language policy perspectives. Among other things, it addresses language relatedness, domains of Somali usage, the dialect situation and the standardization process, language planning, as well as important reference works and corpora.

After completing the course, the student is expected to be able to:

Knowledge and Understanding

• Provide an overview of the Somali language situation using relevant linguistic concepts
• Describe important Somali dictionaries and corpora, and explain how they can be used

Skills and Abilities

• Analyze and discuss issues related to the Somali language situation
• Critically examine and analyze the language in various Somali texts
• Find answers to linguistic questions using available Somali corpora and reference works

Judgement and Approach

• Critically reflect on the significance of knowledge about the Somali language situation, as well as the importance of individual and collective responsibility for the use and development of Somali, and the role of language in societal development
• Problematisize and evaluate different approaches to the studied issue

The course is delivered online via the university’s learning platform, through lectures, seminars, discussions, and assignments.

Language of instruction: Swedish and Somali when the course is offered in Swedish; English and Somali when the course is offered in English.

Assessment consists of continuous obligatory assignments throughout the course and a final exam.

If a student who has been failed twice for the same examination element wishes to change examiner before the next examination session, such a request is to be granted unless there are specific reasons to the contrary (Chapter 6 Section 22 HF).

If a student has received a certificate of disability study support from the University of Gothenburg with a recommendation of adapted examination and/or adapted forms of assessment, an examiner may decide, if this is consistent with the course’s intended learning outcomes and provided that no unreasonable resources would be needed, to grant the student adapted examination and/or adapted forms of assessment.

If a course has been discontinued or undergone major changes, the student must be offered at least two examination sessions in addition to ordinary examination sessions. These sessions are to be spread over a period of at least one year but no more than two years after the course has been discontinued/changed. The same applies to placement and internship (VFU) except that this is restricted to only one further examination session.

If a student has been notified that they fulfil the requirements for being a student at Riksidrottsuniversitetet (RIU student), to combine elite sports activities with studies, the examiner is entitled to decide on adaptation of examinations if this is done in accordance with the Local rules regarding RIU students at the University of Gothenburg.

The course is graded with one of the following: Pass with Distinction (VG), Pass (G), or Fail (U). To receive the grade Pass with Distinction (VG) for the entire course, the student must achieve VG on the final examination.

The results of and possible changes to the course will be shared with students who participated in the evaluation and students who are starting the course.

To be able to follow the course, students also need knowledge of Somali in order to read some of the course literature in Somali and be able to participate actively in discussions of Somali texts. Assessment of knowledge of Somali is made by the students themselves.

Equality aspects should be taken in consideration in content, literature, teaching and evaluation.

To follow a web-based course, students must have access to a computer, web camera and stable internet connection.