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Conference "Rethinking Proto-Semitic - Approaches and Methodology"

Sponsored by Fritz Thyssen Stiftung

2-3 April 2025

Venue: Hörsaal of CNMS (Groundfloor), Deutschhaustraße 12, 35032 Marburg
Lunch and coffee breaks: Room 00A23

Papers duration: 20 minutes + 10 minutes for questions
Kick-off speeches: 10 minutes
Panel discussions: 60 minutes max

Program

1st April, evening

19:00   Warm-up dinner at Colosseo (Deutschhausstraße 35)

2nd April

9:00   Welcome address, technical remarks

9:15   Session: Phonology and Morphology (chair: M. Kümmel)

  • L. Kogan: What can we learn from Eblaite on Proto-Semitic morphology
  • M. Bulakh: Intercalated *a as a plural marker in Soqotri and its implications for the reconstruction of Proto-Semitic
  • B. Suchard: Rethinking the Proto-Semitic Stative
  • A. Al-Jallad:  Revisiting the post-verbal morphemes *-u and *-n(V) in Semitic: A proposal for a unified theory

11:15   Coffee break

11:45   Discussion: Phonology (chair: E. Cohen)

  • Kick-off speech: M. Kümmel
  • Panel discussion: M. Kümmel, L. Kogan, A. Al-Jallad

13:00-14:00   Lunch

14:00   Session: Methodology (chair: M. Cysouw)

  • M. Waltisberg: Issues of reconstructive methodology in Semitics
  • L. Edzard: Linguistic divergence and convergence in Arabic and Semitic revisited
  • V. Tsukanova: What can modern Arabic dialects reveal about the etymology of the L-Stems in Semitic?

15:30   Coffee break

16:00   Discussion: Methodology (chair: A. Rubin)

  • Kick-off speech: L. Kogan
  • Panel discussion: L. Kogan, E. Cohen, M. Waltisberg

19:00   Dinner at Zur Sonne (Markt 14)

3rd April

9:00   Session: Morphosyntax (chair: S. Weninger)

  • E. Cohen: Semitic k-based similative particles 
  • N. Pat-El: "Comparing nominal morphology: beyond lexical isoglosses" or "Homomorphs and reconstruction"

10:15   Coffee break

11:00   Discussion: Morphology (chair: S. Weninger)

  • Kick-off speech: M. Cysouw: Reconstructing Morphemes – Don't forget the function!
  • Panel discussion: M. Cysouw, N. Pat-El, B. Suchard

12:30-14:00   Lunch

14:00   Session: Classification, Urheimat, and further topics (chair: N. Pat-El)

  • S. Weninger: The Semitic Urheimat question: A review of the proposals and some perspectives
  • W. Sommerfeld: The Concept of a Common Semitic Cultural Area ("Kish Civilization") in the 3rd Millennium 

15:00   Coffee break

15:30   Discussion: Classification and Urheimat (chair: W. Sommerfeld)

  • Kick-off speech: A. Rubin 
  • Panel discussion: A. Rubin, L. Edzard, M. Bulakh

Farewell address

List of participants 

Prof. Dr. Ahmad Al-Jallad, The Ohio State University, Department of Near Eastern and South Asian Languages and Cultures
Prof. Dr. Maria Bulakh, HSE University - Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Prof. Dr. Eran Cohen, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Department of Linguistics
Prof. Dr. Michael Cysouw, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Germanistische Sprachwissenschaft, AG Sprachtypologie und quantitative Linguistik
Prof. Dr. Lutz Edzard, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen Nürnberg, Institut für Sprachen und Kulturen des Nahen Ostens und Ostasiens
Prof. Dr. Leonid Kogan, HSE University - Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences 
Prof. Dr. Martin Kümmel, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Institut für Orientalistik, Indogermanistik
Prof. Dr. Na’ama Pat-El, The University of Texas at Austin, Middle Eastern Studies
Prof. Dr. Aaron D. Rubin, University of Georgia, Department of Classics
Prof. (em.) Dr. Walter Sommerfeld, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Centrum für Nah- und Mittelost-Studien, FG Altorientalistik
Dr. Benjamin Suchard, KU Leuven, Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies
Dr. Vera Tsukanova, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Centrum für Nah- und Mittelost-Studien, FG Semitistik
Prof. Dr. Michael Waltisberg, Universität Heidelberg, Seminar für Sprachen und Kulturen des Vorderen Orients
Prof. Dr. Stefan Weninger, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Centrum für Nah- und Mittelost-Studien, FG Semitistik