TY  - CHAP
A1  - Jastrow, Otto
T1  - Old Aramaic and Neo-Aramaic : some reflections on language history
T2  - Sonderdr. aus: Aramaic in its Historical and Linguistic Setting. - ed. by Holger Gzella
N2  - Aramaic is not among the oldest Semitic languages in a strictly chronological sense, but among those languages which are still spoken today, it has the longest continuous written tradition. The existing written documents span a period of three millennia and thus enable us to study language history in a long-term perspective. It is very important, in this respect, that the latest stage of development of Aramaic, Neo-Aramaic, still exists in a multitude of spoken varieties which can be studied in vivo. We can thus describe the phonetics and phonology of the modern varieties with more precision than is possible for the older language stages, which in turn enables us to draw conclusions on diachronic sound change. Likewise, we can study morphology and syntax not only from recorded texts, but we also have recourse to native speakers in order to clarify doubtful points. Thus the latest stage of Aramaic casts a strong light back into the past. It is therefore most unfortunate that many Aramaicists and Syrologists show so little interest in this living heritage.
KW  - Aramäisch
KW  - Semitische Sprachen
Y1  - 2008
UR  - http://publikationen.ub.uni-frankfurt.de/frontdoor/index/index/docId/14640
UR  - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:hebis:30-1155672
SP  - 1
EP  - 10
PB  - Harrassowitz Verlag
CY  - Wiesbaden
ER  -