14406

WiSe 23/24: (Lk) Damascus Arabic: Text-Structure-Meaning

Maciej Klimiuk

Information for students

Since the MA Interdisciplinary Studies of the Middle East students can take the LK, the course is taught in German/English

Comments

Damascene Arabic can be considered one of the most important dialects of the Syro-Palestinian group (Syria, Palestine/Israel, Lebanon, Jordan). Its knowledge allows for relatively free communication within the dialect group and sometimes also outside it. At the same time, it is one of the better-documented Arabic dialects of the last 100 years and is of great importance both culturally and linguistically in dialectological research. The course introduces participants to the dialect in detail by reading texts ranging from the very basic and, as their linguistic competence and grammatical knowledge increase, to increasingly difficult and complex texts. It should be noted, however, that ‘text’ is understood here in cultural studies terms, i.e. as a ‘cultural text’, so apart from texts in transcription, recordings or films will also be used. The individual classes will be further complemented by grammatical issues. This will allow us to discuss the most important grammatical structures of the Damascene Arabic in terms of phonology, morphology and, to a lesser extent, syntax during the semester. In discussing the structures, we will also draw on our previous knowledge of linguistics and the comparative study of Semitic languages. As the reading involves intensive reading of texts, attention will also turn to our pronunciation, which we will train and improve. close

Suggested reading

Participants will be provided with class materials, which are based on the following literature: Aldoukhi, Rima, Stephan Procházka, and Anna Telic. 2014a. Lehrbuch des Syrisch-Arabischen 1: Praxisnaher Einstieg in den Dialekt von Damaskus. 1 ed. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz. Aldoukhi, Rima, Stephan Procházka, and Anna Telic. 2014b. Lehrbuch des Syrisch-Arabischen 2: Damaszenisch für Fortgeschrittene. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz. Aldoukhi, Rima, Stephan Procházka, and Anna Telic. 2016. Lehrbuch des Syrisch-Arabischen 1: Praxisnaher Einstieg in den Dialekt von Damaskus. 2 ed. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz. Berlinches Ramos. 2013. ‘Texts Related to Cooking in the Arabic Dialect of Damascus’. Wiener Zeitschrift für die Kunde des Morgenlandes 103: 25–48. Berlinches Ramos. 2016. El dialecto árabe de Damasco (Siria): estudio gramatical y textos. Zaragoza: Prensas de la Universidad de Zaragoza. Bloch, Ariel, and Heinz Grotzfeld. 1964. Damaszenisch-arabische Texte mit Übersetzung, Anmerkungen und Glossar. Wiesbaden: Franz Steiner. Cowell, Mark W. 1964. A Reference Grammar of Syrian Arabic (Based on the Dialect of Damascus). Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press. Grotzfeld, Heinz. 1964. Laut- und Formenlehre des Damaszenisch-Arabischen. Wiesbaden: Franz Steiner. Grotzfeld, Heinz. 1965. Syrisch-Arabische Grammatik (Dialekt von Damaskus). Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz. Klimiuk, Maciej. 2013. Phonetics and Phonology of Damascus Arabic. Warsaw: Department of Arabic and Islamic Studies, University of Warsaw. Klimiuk, Maciej. 2022. ‘Living in Bab Tuma: Two Texts in Damascene Arabic’. In Semitic Dialects and Dialectology: Fieldwork—Community—Change, edited by Maciej Klimiuk. Heidelberg: Heidelberg University Publishing. close

16 Class schedule

Regular appointments

Thu, 12:00 - 14:00 16 Class schedule

Thu, 2023-10-19 12:00 - 14:00

Lecturers:
Prof. Dr. Maciej Klimiuk