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Ancient/extinct languages - resources?

Name: Anonymous 2009-06-12 19:13

So, let's say that i'd like to learn Sumerian and cuneiform writing. Any site that would teach me it? As well, there's a shortage of archeologists 'ere. The reason is quite universal: Why not?

Or something far more lively, Latin. As this language is still used today, are there any resources that could teach me, something as easy as, like, 'Teach yourself latin in one month'?
Paper books preferably.

Or any other oldass langauges that, although no longer in use, have their 'quick tour' resources?

And what do you think about that topic?

Name: Anonymous 2009-06-12 19:38

I think learning ancient languages is a waste of time, since a modern language would be much more useful and as interesting as any other.
Unless, of course, you are into a research field that requires you to know that oldass language (say, archeology)

Name: Anonymous 2009-06-13 16:05

Ok, i understand. But then, there's some charm to ancient languages, like, to know that you posess the knowledge of a language that was spoken long before your civilization even came to existence (in case of sumerian) or to know the language that adds +10 to INT checks (latin).

So be it, any resources on these two languages? Latin won't be hard to find, but i'd like if you know some webpages/have any knowledge about the language itself.

And about sumerian... Well, I tried to find anything. To no avail :(

Name: Anonymous 2009-06-13 17:52

just google it man. there is loads of stuff for latin but i don't know about others.

Name: Anonymous 2009-06-13 22:42

i wonder if windows supports cuneiform fonts

Name: Anonymous 2009-06-13 23:22

External links section of the Wikipedia page on Sumerian has some stuff; dictionaries and grammars are what you're going to want to look for.

Name: Anonymous 2009-06-13 23:25

>>5
Yes, now that it's covered under Unicode.  You just need to find a font that covers the Cuneiform range.

Name: Anonymous 2009-06-17 12:23

I would LOVE to learn Sumerian.  Wow, that would be so awesome.
Do we even know enough about Sumerian to be able to actually "speak" it?  We don't exactly have as much written stuff to work from as we do with Latin.

Name: Anonymous 2009-06-18 5:02

>>8
You could try, but you'd end up sounding like an Akkadian.  I wouldn't doubt if many important words are simply missing, either.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumerian_language#Phonemic_inventory

Name: Anonymous 2009-06-19 6:39

>>9
Fucking Akkadians!!

Name: Anonymous 2009-06-19 12:33

There is a village in Switzerland inhabited by Retro-Romans who still speak Latin like it was spoken 2000 years ago.

Name: Anonymous 2009-06-20 5:24

>>11
info 100%?

Name: Anonymous 2009-06-22 9:13

My mother is a sumerologist(don't know the exact English term), and she had to learn Latin first to learn Sumerian because she said almost all sources for it were in Latin.

Name: Anonymous 2009-06-22 9:19

and they weren't translated still? cannot belive

Name: Anonymous 2009-06-22 12:31

Name: Anonymous 2009-07-06 19:00

This Latin textbook is about as good as a language textbook can be:

http://www.lingua-latina.dk/index2.htm

Name: Anonymous 2009-07-06 23:41

>>16
I was once interested in Latin, but present-day pronunciation standard kills me. I rage every time I hear things like "Sisero" instead of "Kikero", "jentsium" instead of "gentium", "ae" being pronounced "eh" instead of "ai" and other stuff.

Name: Anonymous 2009-07-07 1:58

>>17
ae is pronounced as ä.

Name: Anonymous 2009-07-14 23:57

>>1

Sumerian Grammar (2003) by Otto Edzard Dietz:

http://avaxhome.ws/ebooks/history_military/SumerianGrammar.html

--

Abridged Grammars Of The Languages Of The Cuneiform Inscriptions (1888) by George Bertin:

http://avaxhome.ws/ebooks/cultures_languages/1436892600ss.html

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