160152 PS Introductory seminar in this subject area (2023S)

This course is a gentle introduction to the structure of the Yiddish language and to Yiddish linguistics. The course will be taught in English. First, you will familiarise yourselves with basic facts about Yiddish in the context of Jewish languages more generally. You will get a chance to read and hear samples of the language, which is closely related to Middle High German. We will systematically cover the main aspects of the phonology, morphology and syntax of Standard Yiddish and its pre-War dialects as well as the emerging new variant of the language Contemporary Hasidic Yiddish. We will see that this new variant, while quintessentially still Yiddish, it has undergone an unusual substantial, rapid grammatical change after the Shoah (preferred term for Holocaust). We will also discuss what the characteristics of the different historical dialects are, including hypotheses about the history of Yiddish. You will be able to follow and participate in the overwhelming majority of our discussions if you have an introductory knowledge of general linguistics. Students who have taken courses in generative grammar will likely find the discussions on syntax easier to follow. While students with an interest in Germanistik, Jewish Studies, Slavistics, historical linguistics or medieval studies will find that their background will be advantageous in other aspects of the course. To some extent, the assessments will take into account differences in study background.