This course meets with L590
3 Credits

This is an introduction to the earliest known form of the Tibetan
language, current during the period of the Tibetan Empire (ca. 6l8-
866 A.D.) and for about a century afterward; the earliest text dates
to 649 A.D. There is a vast corpus of material written in Old
Tibetan, most of it little known or uninvestigated. The course will
cover Old Tibetan phonology, morphology, and syntax, and introduce
the comparative-historical study of the language, while giving a
thorough philological and practical introduction to the Old Tibetan
language.

Required Texts: H.A. Jaeschke, Tibetan-English Dictionary (also
available in the IU Main Library). Reading assignments will be either
available in the IU Main Library or distributed in class.Texts to be
read will include portions of the Old Tibetan Annals and one or more
inscriptions.

Prerequisites: Either one year of linguistics or one year of Tibetan,
or permission of instructor.

Grading: Based on attendance, preparation, participation, periodic
quizzes, and satisfactory completion of two projects.