UCL - Languages in Cuneiform Writing I (Akkadian, Hittite)

[GLOR1611]

[30h] 6 credits

This two-yearly course is taught in 2010-2011, 2012-2013,...

Teacher(s): Jan Tavernier

Language: French

Level: First

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

Aims

Akkadian and Hittite belong to a different linguistic family, but were both very important languages within the Ancient Near East. Both were used in the Hittite Empire, one as the language of diplomacy, the other as the administrative and national language. Both languages are used in political, cultural or religious texts and may describe the same topic; some texts are even bilingual. Both languages are written by means of the same cuneiform writing system. The objective of both courses GLOR 1611 and 1612 is to familiarize the student with the cuneiform script and to enable him or her to read and translate easy texts.

Main themes

As is the case with the course GLOR 1612 this course is focused on the study of the Akkadian (first term) and Hittite (second term) languages. After an introduction to the grammar the student will read some texts or excerpts of texts (e.g. excerpts from Hammurabi's Code of Laws in Akkadian, Hittite texts from the 14th and 13th centuries BC). The student will compare the linguistic systems of Akkadian (Semitic) and Hittite (Indo-European) and will familiarize himself with the morphological and syntactic structures of both languages.

Content and teaching methods

The goal of this course is to study the Akkadian and Hittite languages by reading cuneiform texts found in Turkey, Syria or Mesopotamia. With regard to each of both languages the course will concentrate on:
- Introduction to the cuneiform writing system, used by both languages
- Morphology and syntax
- Lexicon
- Reading of original texts

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

Prerequisites: none; knowledge of Latin can be useful.
Evaluation: oral exam at the end of the year. Lecture and translation of a (part of a) text. Grammatical exercises.
Support: notes distributed by instructor; some recommended manuals.