Description
The power of words has intrigued the Greeks from early times. As soon as the magical nature of speech was recognized, many questions were formulated about the nature of language. Why do people speak different languages? Is the relationship between words and things natural or conventional? Who invented the first names? Was Homer’s Greek correct? And how should we define letters, parts of speech and sentences? In this course we will study the history of linguistics in Greek and Roman antiquity. We will start with Polyphemus, the Homeric Cyclops who misses the linguistic skills of Odysseus but knows how to communicate with animals. Our survey will finally lead to Priscian, the celebrated Roman grammarian (500 AD) and his influential Institutiones grammaticae.
Ancient views on language are found in the context of different language disciplines, in particular philosophy, rhetoric, philology and technical grammar. We will read passages from the most influential texts: Plato’s Cratylus, Aristotle’s De Interpretatione, Diogenes Laertius’ summary of Stoic language theory, the Alexandrian commentaries on Homer, the Tekhnê grammatikê that is attributed to Dionysius Thrax, Apollonius Dyscolus’ Syntax, and Quintilian’s Institutio oratoria. Furthermore, we will deal with a number of themes that play an important role in ancient linguistic thought, such as etymology, the connection between language, thought and reality, and the origin of language. We will also discuss the methodological aspects and purposes of the historiography of linguistics.
Teaching method
Seminar or Tutorial
Admission requirements
This MA course is available only to (research)master students in Classics.
Course objectives
Basic knowledge of the history of ancient grammar, scholarship and philosophy of language
Developed skills in using, reading and interpreting ancient commentaries, scholia and grammatical treatises
Course load
5 ects
Required reading
Eleanor Dickey, Ancient Greek Scholarship. A Guide to Finding, Reading, and Understanding Scholia, Commentaries, Lexica, and Grammatical Treatises, from Their Beginnings to the Byzantine Period, Oxford: OUP 2007.
Primary texts and articles will be availale for photocopying.
Test method
- Written examination with essay questions (40%) – Oral presentation(s) on selected topics (40%) – Active contributions to the scholarly discussion (20%)
Time table
Information
Dr C.C. de Jonge:
c.c.de.jonge@hum.leidenuniv.nl
Registration
n.a.
Blackboard
Blackboard will be used for this course.
Remarks
n.a.