A7141/A8142 – Syriac 1: Reading and Grammar

Unit Code

A7141 (undergraduate)
A8142 (postgraduate)

Unit Name

Syriac 1: Reading and Grammar

Unit Weighting

9  Credit Points

Type of Unit

Foundational

Prerequisites, corequisites or exclusions

Nil

Academic Staff

Professor Rifaat Ebied, FAHA,   BA (Hons), Ain Shams University Cairo,
Foundation Professor of Semitic Studies, University of Sydney

Curriculum Objectives

This Course Unit introduces students to the basic Reading, and Grammar of Syriac. It enables students to read and analyse selected texts from the Syriac Bible (Peshitta) and from Eastern Church Fathers, using dictionaries and grammars.
For graduate students, frequent extra assignments will be given, and a major paper to be completed by the end of the semester.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of this unit students will be able to:
1) Reading selected Syriac biblical passages and texts from the Church Fathers.
2) Recognize basic Syriac grammar and syntax.
3) Translate, parse, and analyse simple Syriac texts into English.
4) Use Syriac dictionaries and concordances.

Content

1. Syriac alphabet, basic grammar and syntax.
2. Lexical and grammatical study of selected Syriac texts.
3. Translation of selected texts into English.
4. Introduction to the use of the Syriac Bible, patristic texts and Syriac-English dictionaries.

Unit Weekly Schedule