The course aims to introduce to the students the graphic, phonetical and morphological features of the main Greek dialects, through both literary sources and material evidence. Special attention will be devoted to inscriptional poetry.
A. C. Cassio (ed.), Storia delle lingue letterarie greche, 2nd enlarged ed., Firenze, Le Monnier 2016. Other texts will be available in handouts.
Learning Objectives
A deeper understanding of the morphological and syntactical features of ancient Greek language, together with a knowledge of its geographical and chronological variety, beyond standard Greek (i.e. Attic and koiné) studied at the high school. Ability to analyze a literary text transmitted on materials other than books.
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of standard Greek language. Knowledge of Greek metre, dialects, or literary history is useful but not strictly necessary.
Teaching Methods
Traditional lectures, including translation of Greek texts and commenting on them; frequent practice of translation from Greek by the students themselves.
Further information
Students who do not know ancient Greek at all may find convenient to attend a basic Greek laboratory besides this course.
Type of Assessment
Questions, discussion and exercitations from time to time during the class; oral examination at the end, aiming to test the student’s competence in both Greek language and cultural aspects of the ancient texts.
Course program
Origins, features, and variety of the ancient Greek alphabets. Short introduction to ancient Greek language. Analysis of the most relevant Greek dialects and of their twofold function as both everyday languages and literary languages. Many Greek texts will be read, including some instances of inscriptional poetry.