Course Information and Requirements

Old Tibetan

Course Description:

This course offers a comprehensive introduction to the linguistic features of Old Tibetan, the earliest attested stage of the Tibetic languages, and the ways in which it changed in its development into the more widely-studied Classical Tibetan. Students will study the structure, grammar, and syntax of Old Tibetan as attested in texts such as the Old Tibetan Annals. The course combines a morning course which will describe and contextualise the language’s features and an afternoon course in which students will become familiar with primary sources and philological analysis. By the end of the course, students will gain both a theoretical and applied understanding of the earliest stages of the Tibetan language.

Requirements: None

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Reconstructing a proto-language based on primary data: combining descriptive and historical linguistics – the case of Proto-Western Kho-Bwa

Course Description:

The Western Kho-Bwa languages are a small, coherent cluster of eight speech varieties spoken in western Arunachal Pradesh in India. These varieties are Dubumbi (Chugpa), Khispi (Lishpa), the Sartang varieties Khoina, Jerigaon (Butpa), Khoitam and Rahung, and the Sherdukpen (Me) varieties Rupa and Shergaon. The Western Kho-Bwa languages belong to the Trans-Himalayan language family, but their exact position within the family remains unresolved.

This two-week, one hour daily course will illustrate how, by collecting primary data from all these eight varieties in the field, we can contribute to the linguistic description of endangered language varieties, and assemble the materials that form the basis for a historical reconstruction of their hypothetical ancestral proto-language. We will trace the process from collecting recorded data from a minimum of two respondents of each variety by using an extensive wordlist, to setting up the phonological inventories of each variety, and comparing the cognate forms to reconstruct proto-phonemes and proto-forms. The course will also explore the influence of language contact and language change and make inferences about the population history and aspects of the habitat and culture of the speakers of this linguistic subgroup.

Requirements:

This course involves small-group collaboration on tasks such as transcription, phonological analysis, cognate identification, and proto-form reconstruction. Participants are expected to have basic knowledge of phonetics, phonology, and the comparative method. Those without this background should indicate it beforehand to be paired with more experienced participants. Online attendees must commit to all sessions to ensure consistent group participation.

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Tangut

Course Description:

Participants will explore the linguistic and philological features of Tangut, as well as the structure of its unique script and the historical world in which it existed. Morning sessions will introduce its phonology, morphology, and syntax, providing a foundational understanding of the Tangut language. Afternoon sessions will focus on reading primary Tangut texts, which may be adjusted according to the participants’ interests. These readings will not only deepen the linguistic knowledge, but also shed light on the intellectual and cultural milieu of the Western Xia State.

Requirements:

Some familiarity with one or more Buddhist languages (Classical Tibetan, Chinese, Sanskrit etc.) would be an asset. Participants of the afternoon sessions should familiarise themselves with how to look up Tangut characters, which are, for example, available at http://ccamc.co/ (in Chinese) or https://tangut.info/.

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Yi Script

Course Description:

Students will become familiar with the Classical Yi script, a logographic writing system used by the Yi people in pre-modern times to write four related languages from the Lolo-Burmese branch of the Trans-Himalayan family: Nuosu, Nisu, Nasu, and Sani. Attention will also be given to research methodologies in Yi manuscript studies and how scholars interpret pre-modern texts written in the Yi script. The course will highlight the linguistic information about pre-modern Yi languages that can be gleaned from the texts, such as Hua-Yi Yiyu.

Requirements:

None. Some knowledge of Standard Chinese would be helpful.

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Methods in Gyalrongic and Tangut Historical Linguistics:

Course Description:

This course introduces students to the comparative historical linguistics of the Gyalrongic languages, a complex branch of the Trans-Himalayan family both phonologically and morphologically. Primarily spoken in Western Sichuan, these languages provide key insights into the evolution of Trans-Himalayan populations. The course also covers Tangut, an extinct language once used in the Western Xia (西夏) regime, recently identified as part of the Gyalrongic branch. Students will explore the historical development and key features of Gyalrongic varieties, focusing on their conservatism within the family. The course includes comparative data from modern Gyalrongic languages and Tangut to trace key sound correspondences and phenomena, and reconstruct aspects of their proto-language. We will also focus on typical morphological developments, such as argument indexation, stem alternation, and orientation systems. In addition, students will gain experience in language subgrouping, using Gyalrongic as a representative example. By the end of the course, students will have a general understanding of Gyalrongic and Tangut comparative linguistics, as well as insights into their common ancestor and prehistory.

Requirements:

Basic knowledge of phonology and the International Phonetic Alphabet is necessary to fully understand the course. A foundational understanding of Chinese is preferred.