Department of Ancient History Division of Humanities Macquarie University AHPG899 Advanced Coptic 4 credit points Semester 2, 2011 http://www.coptic.mq.edu.au Illustration on the title page Fragment of page 5 of the Nag Hammadi codex VI containing the Acts of Peter and the Twelve Apostles 2 Part 1. General information Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit Convenor and Lecturer: Dr Victor Ghica Email: [email protected] Phone: (+61) (2) 9850 6800 Office: W6A 541 For general enquiries Position: Departmental Administrator Name: Ms Raina Kim Email: [email protected] Phone: +61 2 9850 8833 Office: W6A 540 Further information on Coptic Studies: www.coptic.mq.edu.au 3 Part 2. Academic Contents Credit Points: 4 Prerequisites: AHPG896 Coptic I - Sahidic (ideally: AHPG897 Coptic II - Sahidic) or AHPG829 Coptic I – Bohairic (ideally: AHPG839 Coptic II - Bohairic) or previous knowledge of Coptic. Unit description This unit offers to students with previous knowledge of Coptic the opportunity for an in-depth study of Coptic language and literature. In the same time it provides an introduction to Coptic palaeography and epigraphy. As a matter of fact, this unit is conceived rather as a research seminar, given that the texts studied are unpublished. The students will treat the texts as editors do, i.e. they will first decipher and edit them and it is only afterwards that they will carry out the translation. Once the palaeographical, codicological, editorial, dialectal and translation issues are addressed, we will undertake the discussion of the content. This semester we will read the following literary and documentary texts: • In Apocalypsim 7-12 (P.Mor. 591, Par. 1313, 1317) – homily attributed to Cyril of Alexandria (White Monastery and Archangel Michael Monastery – Hamuli) • The Acts of Peter and the Twelve Apostles (NHC VI, 1) • O.Douch copte inv. 79-756, inv. 89-18 – ostraca (D , Kharga Oasis) • I.Bag. 1.08; 1.10; 30.4 – graffiti (Ba aw t necropolis, Kharga Oasis) • I.Ayn al-Zaaf 3 – dipinto (Ayn al-Zaaf, Kharga Oasis) These texts are written in Sahidic dialect, the most important pan-regional form of the Coptic language. However, each one of the texts features a particular dialectal situation (subdialect, idiolect or dialectal influences) and/or cross-dialectal scribal practices – phenomena which are particularly common in the Coptic texts. This unit will thus introduce the student to applied Coptic dialectology. In this respect, AHPG899 constitutes the practical correlate of the more theoretical AHPG898 (Coptic Dialects). Among the texts to study two are literary (In Apocalypsim 7-12 and The Acts of Peter and the Twelve Apostles). The ostraca, graffiti and dipinti are documentary texts. Unit outcomes In this course we will build on your knowledge of the most common and important Coptic dialect, Sahidic. After a short introduction to the documents, we will proceed to reading and analysing the texts. Six courses will be dedicated to the homiletic biblical commentary In Apocalypsim 7-12 (Sahidic with Fayumic parepigraphic influence), three to the apocryphon Acts of Peter and the Twelve Apostles, and four to documentary texts (ostraca, graffiti and dipinti). We will discuss not only the texts 4 themselves, but also their context (except for In Apocalypsim 7-12, all the other texts come from excavated sites), genre, palaeography and dialects. Students will also acquire or improve the following skills: • knowledge of grammatical, papyrological, codicological, and palaeographical terminology • familiarity with phono-graphematic or graphematic variation in texts written in more or less standardised Sahidic • identification of Coptic sub-dialects • recognition of main palaeographical styles in Coptic documents • translating from English into Coptic Graduate capabilities Cognitive capabilities 1. Discipline knowledge and skills Our postgraduates will be able to demonstrate a significantly enhanced depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content knowledge in their chosen fields. 2. Critical, analytical and integrative thinking Our postgraduates will be capable of utilising and reflecting on prior knowledge and experience, of applying higher level critical thinking skills, and of integrating and synthesising learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments. A characteristic of this form of thinking is the generation of new, professionally oriented knowledge through personal or group-based critique of practice and theory. 3. Research and problem solving capability Our postgraduates will be capable of systematic enquiry; able to use research skills to create new knowledge that can be applied to real world issues, or contribute to a field of study or practice to enhance society. They will be capable of creative questioning, problem finding and problem solving. Interpersonal and personal dispositions 4. Effective communication Our postgraduates will be able to communicate effectively and convey their views to different social, cultural, and professional audiences. They will be able to use a variety of technologically supported media to communicate with empathy using a range of written, spoken or visual formats. 5. Engaged and responsible, active and ethical citizens Our postgraduates will be ethically aware and capable of confident transformative action in relation to their professional responsibilities and the wider community. They will have a sense of connectedness with others and country and have a sense of mutual obligation. They will be able to appreciate the impact of their professional roles for social justice and inclusion related to national and global issues 6. Capable of professional and personal judgment and initiative Our postgraduates will demonstrate a high standard of discernment and common 5 sense in their professional and personal judgment. They will have the ability to make informed choices and decisions that reflect both the nature of their professional work and their personal perspectives. Part 3. Assessment in this unit Assessment at a glance Task Weight Due dates 3* assignments weighted 80% Weeks 5, 8 and 10 according to length and difficulty 1 vocabulary test 10% Week 11 1 grammar test 10% Week 12 * This unit will be available to both undergraduate and postgraduate students. In this type of units generally different assessment criteria are applied to these student groups. Therefore postgraduate students will be required to submit an extra shorter assignment. Assessment tasks, submission, and return Learning any ancient language is based on three basic principles: assimilation, repetition and application: • the continuous assimilation of new words and grammatical structures, • the memorisation and constant repetition of the knowledge acquired and • the application of this knowledge by means of translation and grammatical exercises. In a classroom setting the control of the students’ progress is fairly easy, both for teachers and for the students themselves, with vocabulary tests, translation exercises and other tests usually done in an exam environment. Distance students will need to be extra disciplined about learning the new words and going over material already learned. The assignments will be posted on the internal pages of the website using the assignments tool. The tests will take place in class, for the internal students, and over 6 the phone, for the external students. The grammar test will cover the grammatical topics discussed during the course as well as the content of the units Coptic I and II. The content of the vocabulary test will be announced well in advance. Examination There will be no exam for this unit. Both internal and external students will receive their marks through continuous assessment. Extensions Extensions on assignments are granted only in case of a real emergency. In case of a medical condition, a certificate will need to be presented. Please consult me immediately after an emergency arises in order to work out an alternative plan. The departmental penalty for assignment lateness is generally 2% a day (including weekends). Student workload There are 3 hours per credit point per week, which means that students enrolled in AHPG899 (a postgraduate unit worth 4 credit point) unit should work for 12 hours per week. Completion of the unit In order to complete the unit satisfactorily all assignments must be submitted and an overall mark of 50% or more is required. Part 4. Delivery and resources Lecture times and locations There will be one three-hour lecture per week, on Tuesday from 6.00-9.00 pm in W5C 302. The lectures will be recorded and sent out to distance students. They will also be provided as iLectures in digital form on the unit website. Required and recommended resources Texts for reading and Coursenotes Photographs of the documents for reading will be distributed via the Blackboard. Please note that the copyright of all the photographs belong to Dr Victor Ghica. The usage of the photographs used during this semester is strictly limited to the purposes of this course. Any other use as well as the distribution of the photographs to persons which are not enrolled in this unit is illegal. Coursenotes to accompany the recorded lectures will be distributed on the Website each week. 7 Resources Sahidic For a review of Sahidic Coptic see the textbook for Coptic I and II (Sahidic): Thomas O. Lambdin, Introduction to Sahidic Coptic, Macon 1983, 2nd edition 1992. Bohairic The standard grammar for Bohairic Coptic is Alexis Mallon, Grammaire copte: bibliographie, chrestomathie et vocabulaire, 4 éd. revue par Michel Malinine, Beyrouth 1956. Students with a reasonable command of German are encouraged to look at: Walter Till, Koptische Dialektgrammatik, mit Lesestücken und Wörterbuch, 2nd ed. Munich 1961. For a comprehensive bibliography see below. A good introduction to Bohairic Coptic, which provides a didactical approach especially for those with little previous familiarity with formal English grammar, is Sameh Younan, So You Want To Learn Coptic (see http://www.learncoptic.com/ for information about ordering). Dictionaries A very good investment for AHPG899 Advanced Coptic (and AHPG898 Coptic Dialects) is a Coptic dictionary.