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Course Descriptions

Semester Course Schedule Long-Term Program Dates Short-Term Program Dates Entrance Requirements Course Descriptions

HCL 6/440 Introduction to Aramaic - Credit Hours: 3

Semester normally offered: Alternate Fall Semesters

Course Description

Study of the grammar and vocabulary of biblical Aramaic while reading the Aramaic portions of the Bible. An introduction to the Aramaic of the Targums is included. Prerequisite: HCL 6/410 and HCL 6/411. Open to second-year M.A. students.

Course Equivalencies

This course fills equivalencies in the following areas:  

  • Language - Aramaic

Course Objectives

By the end of the course, the student should be able to:

  • have a good understanding of Aramaic grammar and how it relates to Hebrew Grammar;
  • sight read all of the Biblical Aramaic texts with understanding, as well as the Targumic Aramaic texts read in class;
  • know all of the forms of the Biblical Aramaic nouns and verbs and other parts of speech;
  • know how to make basic comparative Semitic linguistic comparisons with Hebrew;
  • use commentaries and tools that assume a knowledge of Aramaic; and
  • know the place of Aramaic in the Semitic language family.

Field Study

A one-day interactive field study at a site where students can encounter biblical Hebrew texts, such as the Israel Museum or a synagogue.