04-AO-SUME1

Course identification: 04-AO-SUME1
Class hours per week: 2
ECTS points: 5
Duration: 1 semester
Course offering: winter semester
Level: BA, second or third year

Übung: Introductory Sumerian 1

Content:
The Sumerian language, which is not related to any other known language, is the oldest written language of the ancient Near East. This module offers an introduction to the grammar and vocabulary of Sumerian as well as to the cuneiform with which it was written; the knowledge to be acquired by the students is reinforced through the reading of simple Sumerian royal inscriptions. Emphasis is placed upon the Neo-Sumerian grammar, which is employed in the inscriptions of Gudea of Lagaš and elsewhere. 

Learning objectives:
The student will possess an overview of the structure of the Sumerian language and especially of the criteria necessary for the analysis of forms, as well as the ability to use the most important resources (grammars, dictionaries, bibliographies, text editions). He/she will be able (1) to create reasonable genitive constructions in different cases from given nouns and translate these, (2) to combine given substantives with pronominal suffixes and case endings and translate these, to analyse verbal forms and translate these, (3) to read and translate simple royal inscriptions from the original cuneiform writing.

Examination:
Written test (90 minutes).