Middle Arabic and sociolinguistics of the Arab world B

Language

French

Main themes

Alternately with LGLOR2721, thicourse this course deals with the sociolinguistic phenomenon of Middle Arabic, also known as mixed Arabic, in its various manifestations. The emphasis is on studies (monographs, articles) on this linguistic phenomenon. These studies will be taken as the point of departure for exploring relevant texts, whether pre-modern (7th to 19th centuries) and deriving from Muslim, Christian, Jewish and confessionally neutral environments, or modern, based on written or oral production (recorded and transcribed, in the latter case). Although this course primarily addresses the sociolinguistic aspects mentioned above (i.e., the mutual interference of various levels or registers of the language), issues of a different nature will be taken into account as well, such as  textual problems (composition and transmission), codicological and contextual ones (authorship, literary genre, typology, historical setting).
The exercises (15h) included in this course focus on the critical edition of a Christian Arabic text.

Aims

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :
1	At the end of the course, the student should have acquired: - thorough familiarity with the sociolinguistic phenomenon of Middle Arabic, or mixed Arabic, in its various manifestations ;  - basic knowledge of the main studies on sociolinguistics and sociophilology as applied to Arabic; - basic knowledge of mediaeval texts written in Middle Arabic and of contemporary texts either written in the mixed variety of Arabic or transcribed from recordings of oral performance ; - 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: grammars, encyclopaedias, bibliographies, monographs and articles, web-based resources ; - the know-how to carry out individual research within the field of Middle Arabic or the mixed varieties of Arabic ; - the communication skills required to orally present the findings of a small-scale research project on a relevant text.

Content

This graduate course deals with the sociolinguistic phenomenon of Middle Arabic, also known as mixed Arabic, in its various manifestations. It addresses research on the writings of Muslim, Christian and Jewish mediaeval authors, as well as on written and oral texts expressed in modern Middle Arabic. Students are required to present their research assignments on particular texts.

Teaching methods

Due to the COVID-19 crisis, the information in this section is particularly likely to change.

This course comes in the format of a seminar and includes classroom instruction sustained by the Moodle virtual teaching environment. It requires active involvement and for each session presentations of texts or assigned topics are to be prepared.

Evaluation methods

Due to the COVID-19 crisis, the information in this section is particularly likely to change.

1. Continuous assessment of quality of participation in class (in the case of a second inscription: to be replaced by an assignment). Proportion: 40%.
2. Oral presentation of an individual or collective projec. Proportion: 60%.

Note : students who have failed to sufficiently attend the course (more than 3 absences) may be excluded from the exam, as per recommendation by the jury.

Other information

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.

Online resources

https://moodleucl.uclouvain.be/course/view.php?id=8402

Bibliography

• Textes imprimés, textes en photocopies, documents présentés sous forme numérique, support sonore.
• Inscription obligatoire sur Moodle.

Teaching materials

• Portefeuille de lectures/textes

Faculty or entity

GLOR