Some members have expressed their need for more "conversational"
phrases.
Actually, our course has, compared to other material for the study of
ON, offered much useful for conversation. There is unusually much
direct speech in our texts, for example. We have also had an unusual
amount of translate-to-Old-Norse exercises, which improve students
ability to form their own sentences. The future lessons on the
drawing-board (lessons 7-9), do not have as much of that kind of
translation, though.
Our lessons, aiming for thorough grammatic comprehension, have not
introduced any new declensions yet, and thus no new genders.
Obviously, this limits the topics a bit, since no female persons can
be discussed. As we said before, this "policy" has sound
pedagological reasons, and there is no sexism involved.
I believe that the course and its students fit each other well. I
feel that most of the learners are here because they are in one way
or another fascinated by the culture, literature, and history behind
the Old Norse language. Thus they want to learn it in a living way,
they want to "feel it". That's what we hope to provide (permission
taken to speak on Haukur's behalf), cf. cartoons, conversations,
themes, descriptions, "supported reading" (chapter 4 of every lesson,
plus Haukur's "Reader" texts), etc. For the same reasons we do not
concern ourselves with the modern languages, except as an option. We
want our students to feel that this is, as closely approximated as
practically possible, the "language of the Northmen".
Personally, I don't think a "Useful Phrases" list is of much use at
this point. If you were going on a time travel vacation to 13th
century Iceland, they might be... I think it's more important to keep
learning the grammar a bit more, before one starts wielding sentences
one doesn't understand.
Examine the direct speech in the lessons; you do get examples there
of how some (albeit rather lame) conversations might go. "Heill, ek
heiti Eiríkr. Ek em Norðmaðr. Eigi kenni ek þik. Hvat heitir þú?
Hvárt ert þú danskr maðr? Hvárt vilt þú ost eta? Ek hefi stóran ost,
er ek vil gefa þér. Hvárt ert þú svangr?" Etc etc etc. The
possibilities are endless! :þ :þ :þ