Teacher: Dr Hélène Gérardin, INALCO/EPHE
Class Level: Beginners
Class Schedule 2023-24: Thursdays from 12:30-13:30 UK Time (you can check time-zone comparisons on sites such as this one)
Class Length: 1-term class (Trinity Term 2024) (Oxford dates of term are available on the University website)
Class Description: Kivruli, also referred to as Judeo-Georgian, is a language spoken by the Georgian Jewish community. Linguistically, Kivruli represents a variant of the Georgian language, which belongs to the Kartvelian or South Caucasian language family. It combines both standardised and dialectal forms of Georgian, while also incorporating elements from Hebrew and Aramaic. The course is designed as introductory-level and does not require any specific prerequisites. It focuses on practical application complemented by a strong emphasis on grammar. Participants will be introduced to fundamental grammatical notions, followed by a guided practice in the form of oral and written exercises to apply the acquired knowledge in real-life scenarios. Teaching methods involve grammar resources tailored for the course. Additionally, an assortment of carefully selected texts, among them literary works and journal articles, will be used to provide diverse language contexts. By the end of the course, participants will have achieved the ability to comprehend uncomplicated texts and engage in A1-level conversations, including greetings, self-introductions and describing basic settings.
Reference Materials:
-Ben Oren, Gershon & Moskowitz, Wolf (1987). “מאפייני לשון הדיבור של יהודי גרוּזיה” [Characteristics of the Spoken Language of Georgian Jews]. Pe’amim 31, pp. 95–119.
-Enoch, Reuven (2017). “Jewish Georgian”. In: Kahn, Lily & Rubin, Aaron D., eds. Handbook of Jewish Languages. Leiden: Brill, pp. 178–193.