TURK 511Ottoman Turkish I

Catalog

Ottoman Turkish is the administrative and literary language of the Ottoman Empire. Written in Arabic script, Ottoman has a Turkish linguistic core, with substantial influence from Classical Arabic and Persian. In this one-semester class, the following skills and topics are covered: Ottoman spelling, paleography, Persian and Arabic grammar and vocabulary as found in Ottoman, and archaic Turkish grammar. Two script styles are taught: nesih (Arabic nasx) and rıka (Arabic ruq'a), respectively the standard printed and handwritten fonts of the late Ottoman period (ca. 18th-20th centuries). Reading is the primary skill developed, with a secondary emphasis on rıka penmanship, on the premise that this will aid in the reading of handwritten documents. Texts to be used throughout the semester include a selection of printed and handwritten documents. PREREQUISITE: TWO YEARS OF TURKISH (or demonstrated equivalent proficiency) and knowledge of the Arabic alphabet.