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THEO53430: Advanced Aramaic

It is possible that changes to modules or programmes might need to be made during the academic year, in response to the impact of Covid-19 and/or any further changes in public health advice.

Type Open
Level 4
Credits 30
Availability Available in 2023/24
Module Cap
Location Durham
Department Theology and Religion

Prerequisites

  • Aramaic and/or Syriac of at least an introductory undergraduate level.

Corequisites

  • None

Excluded Combinations of Modules

  • THEO3031

Aims

  • To enable a detailed knowledge of Aramaic grammar and syntax, enabling study of texts throughout a wide range of Aramaic dialects, and to develop linguistic and exegetical expertise necessary for in-depth analysis of ancient Aramaic literature.

Content

  • Students will translate texts from a representative range of ancient Aramaic dialects. They will also complete a commentary of no fewer than 5,000 words on one Aramaic text in particular, to be chosen in consultation with the instructor. This commentary will use the students independent research to discuss linguistic and exegetical issues important for a scholarly understanding of the text.

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge:

  • to translate accurately and independently Aramaic texts whose language, grammar, and syntax involve a high degree of complexity and difficulty

Subject-specific Skills:

  • to offer solutions to linguistic and exegetical problems encountered in the texts studied
  • to engage critically with modern scholarly treatments of one ancient Aramaic text in particular

Key Skills:

  • students will acquire the ability to offer independent assessments of the texts studied, and the scholarly treatments of them
  • they will be able to demonstrate familarity with other writings which may assist in the explication of the texts they have studied.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

  • Texts offered for study in this module are chosen with an eye to encouraging the student to work independently, and to bring to the regular seminars such insights as he or she may have gathered in the course of private study. The seminars also give opportunities for full discussion of problems in the text, whether literary, textual, or exegetical.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

ActivityNumberFrequencyDurationTotalMonitored
Lectures442 per week1 hour44Yes
Preparation, research, and writing256 
Total300 

Summative Assessment

Component: EssayComponent Weighting: 100%
ElementLength / DurationElement WeightingResit Opportunity
Essay5000 word100 

Formative Assessment

Exercises in translation and exegesis

More information

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