Semitic Comparative Linguistics [ LGLOR2801 ]

Knowledge of one or several Semitic languages is indispensable.

An introduction to historical and comparative linguistics, as applied to the Semitic languages.

The course deals with the following themes:

1. A description of the Semitic languages and their specific characteristics;
2. The comparison of these languages at the level of phonology, morphology and syntax, in order to present their fundamental common characteristics.

At the end of this course, the student will be familiar with the objectives and methods of linguistic comparison. Through the study of forms that are attested in each language, he will be able to state the historical position of each of them in the Semitic domain, and thus to obtain a better understanding of the phenomena of transformation.

Oral exam at the end of the year.

Lectures.

The aim of the comparative study of Semitic languages is to try to obtain the earliest characteristics (morphological and phonological) of Semitic. After a global exposé on the Semitic languages (geographical distribution, chronological limits, a brief outline of texts) the two first parts are taken up with phonology and morphology, whereas the third part provides an introduction to the problem of comparative syntax (essentially syntax of verbs).

J.-C. Haelewyck, Grammaire comparée des langues sémitiques. Eléments de phonétique, de morphologie et de syntaxe, Bruxelles, Safran, 2006.

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