UCL - Middle Arabic

[GLOR2722]

[30h + 15h] 6 credits

This two-yearly course is taught in 2008-2009, 2010-2011,...

Teacher(s):

Language: French

Level: Second

Aims
Main themes
Content and teaching methods
Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Aims

At the end of the course, the student should have acquired: - thorough familiarity with the sociolinguistic phenomenon of Middle Arabic, or mixed Arabic, applied to mediaeval Christian Middle Arabic texts ; - thorough familiarity with one particular mediaeval Christian Middle Arabic text and with textual issues related to it ; - the ability to prepare a critical edition of a mediaeval text written in Middle Arabic ; - the heuristic skill of using the main instruments for the study of Middle Arabic and Christian Arabic literature: grammars, encyclopaedias, bibliographies, monographs and articles, web-based resources ; - the know-how to carry out individual research within the fields of Middle Arabic and Christian Arabic literature ; - the communication skills required to orally present the findings of a small-scale research project on a mediaeval Christian Middle Arabic text.

Main themes

course deals with texts belonging to mediaeval Christian Arabic literature and written in Middle Arabic. It comprises two main parts:
In the (relatively substantive) introductory part, the student will learn how to handle the religious (bibilical, patristic and hagiographical), literary and historical text that constitute Christian Arabic literature. A limited number of illustrative texts will be presented, as well as studies concerning these texts and the relevant bibliographical tools. Emphasis will be on philological aspects and on historical and cultural backgrounds.
The second part will be entirely devoted to a practical aspect of the discipline, namely, sharing in the preparation of a critical edition of a Christian Arabic text. The text to be edited figures in the research project of the tutor or the team in which he is active. By contributing to this collective research, students will have the opportunity to be actively involved in the research programme of the GLOR Department.
Please note: this course will be offered in alternating years. It complements GLOR 2661, which deals with the sociolinguistic approach to Middle Arabic and in which texts of various confessional and chronological backgrounds are studied.

Content and teaching methods

graduate course consists of an introduction to mediaeval Christian Arabic literature and training in the critical edition of a Middle Arabic text with a Christian signature. This edition is prepared within the framework of the research programme of the GLOR Department.

Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Prerequisite : two years of Classical and/or Modern Standard Arabic ; knowledge of Arabic dialectology.
Evaluation : continuous assessment, based on oral presentations and participation in group discussions; oral exam on the course material and on reading assignments.
Support: printed texts, photocopies, documents presented in digital format. The course provides E-learning activities, with compulsory registration on the I-campus platform.
Please note: while French is the language of instruction, other contact languages (Arabic, English, German) may be used occasionally as well, in the case of contributions by visiting lecturers from abroad.