Teacher: Dr Hélène Gérardin, INALCO/EPHE
Class Level: Beginners & Intermediate
Class Schedule 2024-25: Beginners Thursdays from 12:00-13:00 UK Time TBC; Intermediate Thursdays from 12:00-13:00 UK Time TBC (you can check time-zone comparisons on sites such as this one)
Class Length: Beginners class 1-term class (Hilary Term 2025); Intermediate class 1-term class (Trinity Term 2025) (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 Beginners class 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 class. 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 class, participants will have achieved the ability to comprehend uncomplicated texts and engage in A1-level conversations, including greetings, self-introductions and describing basic settings.
The description for the Intermediate class is forthcoming.
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.