BC - Philology; Languages and Linguistics

1997

BC -- Philology; Languages and Linguistics

97-3/4-314

Internationales Referateorgan zur Skandinavistik: IROS = International Review of Scandinavian Studies. Ed. Walter Baumgartner. Greifswald: Steinbecker-Verlag Rose. 24 cm. ISSN 1431-5203

[Vol. 1.] 1995 (1996). 101 p. DM 39.00 (subscription), DM 45.00 (single issue)

The editors of this new review journal are members of the Nordic Institute (Nordisches Institut) of the Ernst Moritz Arndt University in Greifswald, formerly in the German Democratic Republic. This university--even during the GDR years--paid special attention to Scandinavian studies, due in part to its proximity to Scandinavia. The editors of IROS are dedicated to covering Scandinavian research literature worldwide, with the goal of producing the "most complete possible overview of the literature." The following areas are included: (1) linguistics, (2) medieval studies (which in this issue had only four reviews), (3) literary analysis and criticism, and (4) selected multidisciplinary publications from related humanities and social science disciplines (14 reviews). Particular emphasis is placed on sections 1 and 3. This issue contains some 106 reviews of new publications that appeared in 1993 and 1994. Future issues should be restricted to titles from the year preceding publication. The vast majority of reviews are by German or German-speaking reviewers. A list of the reviewers with their institutional affiliations would be appreciated.

The foreword does not explain why numerous works are not reviewed, but appear only as bibliographic citations--though they are included in the alphabetical title index of reviewed works. This practice clearly contradicts the nature of a review journal. It will become more apparent with the next issue whether the editors are able to achieve the hoped-for comprehensiveness. The layout could also be improved: instead of arranging the titles solely by alphabet, the large sections should be subdivided into narrower categories of individual language and literature or country. In spite of some startup deficiencies, this specialized review journal will be useful in collection building, particularly for the many research libraries that acquire Scandinavian materials only selectively. For this reason it would also be helpful to include the prices of the titles reviewed. [sh/msc]

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