Bactrian
- Course Code:
- 155901099
- Status:
- Course Not Running 2013/2014
- Unit value:
- 1
- Year of study:
- Year 2 or Year 3
- Taught in:
- Full Year
An introduction to Bactrian, the ancient language of northern Afghanistan and the only Middle Iranian language normally written in Greek script.
Prerequisites
There are no formal preconditions for entry, but a knowledge of basic grammatical terminology and concepts (e.g. preposition, subject, perfect tense) is essential. Intending students who are not confident of their grounding in this area are advised to attend the week of classes on "Language about language" at the beginning of the session.
Objectives and learning outcomes of the course
Students will acquire competence in reading straightforward Bactrian texts, both in transliteration and in the original script and an understanding of outstanding problems of decipherment and interpretation.
Workload
The course normally entails two hours of classes per week. Between classes, students are expected to prepare the texts to be read in class.Scope and syllabus
The course is based on the reading of texts, but attention is also paid to Bactrian phonology, word-formation and especially morphology and syntax.
The texts, which are read in the original Greek script, include samples of all the major genres of text attested in Bactrian: historical inscriptions, legal contracts, economic documents and letters. By the end of the course the student should have obtained the competence to read a straightforward Bactrian text, either in transliteration or in the original script, and an understanding of outstanding problems of decipherment and interpretation.
Method of assessment
One three-hour written examination in May-June (80% of the total mark); assessed course-work (20%).Suggested reading
Basic bibliography
- N. Sims-Williams, New light on Ancient Afghanistan: the decipherment of Bactrian, London 1997.
- N. Sims-Williams, Bactrian. In: R. Schmitt (ed.), Compendium Linguarum Iranicarum, Wiesbaden 1989, pp. 230-5.
- W. B. Henning, The Bactrian inscription, BSOAS 23/1, 1960, pp. 47-55.
- I. Gershevitch, articles on Bactrian in N. Sims-Williams (ed.), Philologia Iranica, Wiesbaden, 1985, pp. 55-113.
- N. Sims-Williams and J. Cribb, A new Bactrian inscription of Kanishka the Great, Silk Road Art and Archaeology 4, 1995-6 [1996], pp. 75-142.
