Course: Yiddish 1: Introduction to the Language and Culture

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Course title Yiddish 1: Introduction to the Language and Culture
Course code JUD/JD1
Organizational form of instruction Exercise
Level of course Bachelor
Year of study not specified
Semester Winter and summer
Number of ECTS credits 3
Language of instruction Czech, German
Status of course Compulsory-optional
Form of instruction Face-to-face
Work placements This is not an internship
Recommended optional programme components None
Course availability The course is available to visiting students
Lecturer(s)
  • Krappmann Marie, Mgr. Ph.D.
Course content
The first part of the seminar is an introduction to Yiddish. The students will be acquainted with the Hebrew alphabet and they will focus on the syntax, morphology, phonetics and lexicology of this tongue. Singular particularities of Yiddish will be explained, on the diachronic as well as synchronic level, using a contrastive comparison to German. The knowledge of German is not the condition for attendance of the seminar. Even though the seminar is linguistic in the first place, the students will be acquainted with the specific cultural and historical context of the development of Yiddish. They will also learn about the basic terms in the Ashkenazy culture, the understanding of which is necessary for the interpretation of the texts in Yiddish. The course concentrates on following subjects: - Linguistics specifics in Yiddish and their interpratation on the diachronic level - Historical periods in the development of Yiddish - Reading and analysis of older literary texts: - Biblical paraphrases and their adaptation in Yiddish - Lyrics and prose with historical subjects - Courtesy literature in Yiddish - Narrative literature (Eyn sheyn mayse-bukh) - The Origins of dramatic texts (Eyn sheyn Purim-shpil) - Biographical literature(Glikl von Hameln: Zichroynes) - Regional Yiddish literature

Learning activities and teaching methods
Dialogic Lecture (Discussion, Dialog, Brainstorming), Work with Text (with Book, Textbook), Methods of Written Work
Learning outcomes
The aim of the seminar is: 1) to show on the diachronic level the process which led to the creation of Yiddish as a separate language through the differentiation between the structures of German and "Jüdisch-deutsch"; 2) to show the results of the process by comparison of both languages on the synchronic level.
The students will acquire basic knowledge of Yiddish and they will have insight into following subjects: - Linguistics specifics in Yiddish and their interpratation on the diachronic level - Historical periods in the development of Yiddish - Reading and analysis of older literary texts: - Biblical paraphrases and their adaptation in Yiddish - Lyrics and prose with historical subjects - Courtesy literature in Yiddish - Narrative literature (Eyn sheyn mayse-bukh) - The Origins of dramatic texts (Eyn sheyn Purim-shpil) - Biographical literature(Glikl von Hameln: Zichroynes) - Regional Yiddish literature
Prerequisites
This seminar is for all the students of the Jewish Studies and for all the other students who would be interested.

Assessment methods and criteria
Student performance, Dialog, Systematic Observation of Student

Active participation on the seminar, continuous work on the tasks.
Recommended literature
  • Allerhand, Jacob. (2002). JIDDISCH. Ein Lehr- und Lesebuch. Wien.
  • Aptroot, M.; Nath, H. (2002). Einführung in die jiddische Sprache und Kultur. Hamburg.
  • Katz, Dovid. (1987). Grammar of the Yiddish language. London.
  • Lockwood, William B. (1995). Lehrbuch der modernen jiddischen Sprache: mit ausgewählten Lesestücken. Hamburg.
  • Weinreich, Uriel. (1999). College Yiddish: An Introduction to the Yiddish Language and to Jewish Life and Culture. New York.


Study plans that include the course
Faculty Study plan (Version) Category of Branch/Specialization Recommended year of study Recommended semester
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Jewish Studies. Jewish History and Culture (2019) Category: Philosophy, theology - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Jewish Studies. Jewish History and Culture (2019) Category: Philosophy, theology - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Jewish Studies. Jewish History and Culture (2019) Category: Philosophy, theology - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -
Faculty: Faculty of Arts Study plan (Version): Jewish and Israeli Studies (2019) Category: Philosophy, theology - Recommended year of study:-, Recommended semester: -