An Introduction to Young Avestan: A Manual for Teaching and Learning

Alberto Cantera

ISBN 10: 3447120924 / ISBN 13: 9783447120920

Published by Harrassowitz Verlag Dez 2023, 2023

About this Item

Neuware -Avestan is the sacred language of the Zoroastrians in which they perform most of their rituals. It is known only from its use in the rituals of modern Zoroastrians and the manuscripts reproducing these rituals since the 13th century. Although sure dates cannot be provided, it is very likely that the creation of the liturgical corpus extended from the end of the 2nd millennium BCE until the end of the Achaemenid period (4th cent. BCE). This corpus includes texts in at least three linguistic layers (Old, Middle and Young Avestan). The present manual aims to provide a tool for facilitating the teaching of Young Avestan but keeps in mind also the possibility of self-learning since Avestan is not well-represented in the actual academic landscape. It includes a progressive presentation of the complex phonetic evolutions that are very characteristic of the Avestan language as a consequence of the evolution of the recitation until its fixation (6th cent. CE) and also of the Avestan grammar, complemented with exercises including samples of original texts of increasing difficulty. In each lesson, one text is reproduced in a manuscript, introducing the students to the direct work with manuscripts. 458 pp. Englisch.

Seller Inventory # 9783447120920

Bibliographic Details

• Title: An Introduction to Young Avestan: A Manual for Teaching and Learning
• Publisher: Harrassowitz Verlag Dez 2023
• Publication Date: 2023
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 3447120924
• ISBN 13: 9783447120920
• Binding: Taschenbuch
• Condition: Neu
• Dimensions: 244W x 175H x 35D millimeters 244 millimeters width by 175 millimeters height by 35 millimeters depth
• Weight: 1147 grams

About this title

Synopsis

Avestan is the sacred language of the Zoroastrians in which they perform most of their rituals. It is known only from its use in the rituals of modern Zoroastrians and the manuscripts reproducing these rituals since the 13th century. Although sure dates cannot be provided, it is very likely that the creation of the liturgical corpus extended from the end of the 2nd millennium BCE until the end of the Achaemenid period (4th cent. BCE). This corpus includes texts in at least three linguistic layers (Old, Middle and Young Avestan). The present manual aims to provide a tool for facilitating the teaching of Young Avestan but keeps in mind also the possibility of self-learning since Avestan is not well-represented in the actual academic landscape. It includes a progressive presentation of the complex phonetic evolutions that are very characteristic of the Avestan language as a consequence of the evolution of the recitation until its fixation (6th cent. CE) and also of the Avestan grammar, complemented with exercises including samples of original texts of increasing difficulty. In each lesson, one text is reproduced in a manuscript, introducing the students to the direct work with manuscripts.