LEARNING OUTCOMES

The writing systems of Ancient Greek. Elements of Greek phonology. The relationship between Greek of the I millennium and Greek of the Ist millennium. Archaic and classical dialects (problems of classification and main features). The Homeric language. The κοινή and its levels. In class we will read non-literary and literary texts belonging to different periods and written in various dialects.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Studying the history of Greek language students will become aware of the historical process that brought to the formation of the many ancient Greek dialects of the archaic and classical period, along with the different levels of common Greek. Besides, they will become able to appreciate the difference between non-literary and literary languages, the latter being artistic languages (“Kunstprachen”).

PREREQUISITES

Good knowledge of ancient Greek. Basic knowledge of ancient Greek literature and history.

TEACHING METHODS

Lectures in class.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Writing systems of ancient Greek. Elements of Greek phonology in its evolution from Indo-European phonology. The relationships between II-millennium Greek and I-millennium Greek. Archaic and classical dialects (classification problems and main features). Homeric language. The κοινή and its levels. In class we will read literary and non-literary texts belonging to different dialects and to different periods of ancient greek language.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Besides knowing the notions explained in class and the texts read during the course, students are demanded:

a) to read A.C. Cassio, Introduzione generale, da A.C. Cassio, Storia delle lingue letterarie greche, Firenze 20152, pp. 32-106

b) to read in Greek the following works (students who can read Italian will find the suggested editions in the program in Italian; for students who cannot read Italian, it is suggested to use the volumes of the “Loeb Classical Library”):

1. Pindar, Pythian Ode I
2. Aristophanes, Acharnians, vv. 1-958
3. Polybius, Histories, book I, §§ 1-64
4. Plutarchus, Life of Brutus

General bibliography (note that students have NOT to study the following works for the exam):

• A. Meillet, Lineamenti di storia della lingua greca, Torino 1976 (ed. or. Paris 1935).
• M. Morani, Introduzione alla linguistica greca, Alessandria 1999.
• A.C. Cassio, Storia delle lingue letterarie greche, Firenze 2015 (2008).

Students should preferably attend the course. If some students cannot attend the course, they are prayed to contact the teacher in order to receive an alternative program.