Organisers:
Achraf Brahim, Georgi Mitov, Rogelio Toledo
We are PhD candidates in Byzantine studies at the University of Vienna with a broad interest in Medieval Greek texts and also interested in promoting Byzantine studies beyond academic research. We are passionate about reading Byzantine texts in their original language and are eager to share this enthusiasm with like-minded peers.
When:
Thursday (once every two weeks); 18-19:30 (CET)
10.10.2024
24.10.2024
07.11.2024
21.11.2024
05.12.2024
19.12.2024
* The schedule for the first half of 2025 will be announced later.
Where:
Institut für Byzantinistik und Neogräzistik, University of Vienna (Vienna, Postgasse 9); Seminarraum (second floor).
There is a possibility to join us as an auditor via Zoom.
If you are interested, please read the description as well as the prerequisites (see below) and register via the following link:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd4-PxWzQq7qzs_yMjQ6ipzFfBqtVuVf7cmCXPehTJekXvMog/viewform
Deadline for registration: 30.09.2024!
Description:
Reading texts in their original language is essential not only for philologists and linguists but also for historians, philosophers, and scholars of religion. Research in these disciplines requires engaging with primary sources in their original languages. In order to conduct in-depth analysis and identify specific phenomena within a text, one must first possess a comprehensive understanding of the material. In addition to this, the study of Late Antique and Byzantine texts should not be restricted to a small group of academics but should be accessible to all who are interested in this significant intellectual tradition.
Regardless of whether readers are scholars or enthusiasts, they must develop the skills necessary to read a large volume of texts fluently in a relatively short period, just as anyone would do when reading modern languages. These skills involve the automatic processing of phonology, grammar, and lexicon, allowing readers to recognize frequent vocabulary and grammatical constructions without constant recourse to a dictionary. This enables more fluid reading and a deeper understanding of the texts.
The most effective method for acquiring such skills is through what is now termed "comprehensible input," a concept that mirrors the glosses and paraphrases employed by Byzantine scholars to make classical texts accessible to students. In this reading group we aim to explore the application of similar techniques used in Byzantine education to a modern learning environment. Unlike approaches to modern languages or spoken Ancient Greek and Latin, our reading group does not focus on speaking the target language. However, it is also not a traditional grammar-translation course, where only three or four sentences are to be deciphered per session.
Instead, we seek a middle ground: Comprehensible input will be provided on the spot in the form of occasional glosses and paraphrases in Greek, but the meaning of the texts and any potential grammatical difficulties will be discussed and explained in English. This approach allows for a more accessible and dynamic reading experience, facilitating both linguistic and conceptual engagement with the texts.
For each reading session electronic copies of the relevant text will be provided in advance. Each reading session will begin with a brief introduction of the author and the text, as well as their historical context.
Prerequisites for participation:
It is important to be well familiarized with the core vocabulary of Ancient Greek as well as its grammar:
https://dcc.dickinson.edu/greek-core-list https://dcc.dickinson.edu/grammar/goodell/english-index
https://dcc.dickinson.edu/paradigms/classical-greek/definite-articles
Additionally, since we will be reading Late Antique and Byzantine texts, it is crucial to be aware of the general features and main characteristics of the literary language of that time:
Browning, R. (1983) Medieval and Modern Greek. Second edition. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press), 1-88.
Horrocks, G. (2010) Greek : A History of the Language and its Speakers. Second edition. (Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell), 189-370.
The following is a preliminary selection of texts, it is not in anyway binding:
Agathias, Epigrams;
Bacchylides;
Belthandros and Chrysantza;
Cosmas Indicopleustes, Christian Topography;
Demetrius Chomatenos, Πονήματα διάφορα;
Germanus of Constantinople, On the Divine Liturgy;
John Cameniates, On the capture of Thessalonica;
John Climacus, The Ladder of Divine Ascent;
John Malala, Chronography;
John Moschos, Spiritual Meadow;
Life of Leo of Catania;
Life of Macarius the Roman;
Life of Philaretos the Merciful;
Menander Rhetor;
Menologium of Basil II;
Michael Psellos, Chronography
Nikon of the Black Mountain, Typikon;
Procopius, On the Buildings;
Stephanites and Ichnelates;
Symeon Magister, History;
Synaxarium of the Constantinopolitan Church;
Theodore the Studite, Letters;
Zonaras, History.
