1458.18 - Family Name Studies (MA)


Course number
1458.18
Title
Family Name Studies (MA)
ECTS
10
Prerequisites
BA in Faroese or other equivalent preconditions. This course can also be taken as an individual course with other prerequisites (please refer to the academic programme in force).
Purpose
To present in-depth insight into the study of family names throughout history and today.
Content
The course examines surnaming conventions from the earliest to present day practices. The earliest convention was to add -son or -daughter to the father’s name, sometimes the mother’s name. On May 30, 1828, a Royal Decree was issued which instituted -sen names of the time as fixed surnames. In 1904 a Danish act on name changing was passed authorising individuals to change their family names. The course will look thoroughly into the history of fathers’ names, family names, particularly dating from the 19th and 20th centuries, their structure, origin, written form and other characteristics as well as of the legislation on family names. The course also touches on middle names and epithets that have often become family names.
Learning and teaching approaches
The duration of the course is three hours a week over one term. The approaches used are class-based teaching and student presentations.
Learning outcomes
On successful completion of the course, students are able to • demonstrate in-depth theoretical knowledge about family names • analyse and describe different family naming conventions thoroughly • explain and analyse epithets thoroughly • explain and analyse middle names thoroughly • explain the legislation governing family names thoroughly
Assessment method
Six-hour written examination.
Examination
External
Bibliography
Compendium of articles and treatises on family name studies.
Contact
Anfinnur Johansen