Digital Approaches to Akkadian Semantic Analysis : A Case Study on the ‘Foreign Other’

Melanie Wasmuth

doi:10.35305/cl.vi24.170

Authors

Melanie Wasmuth University of Helsinki, Finland

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.35305/cl.vi24.170

Keywords:

Lexicon, Methodology, Online Tools, Foreign Other, Semantic Domain, Akkadian

Abstract

The current trend for open data allows online access to thousands of Akkadian texts. This substantially changes the way, linguistic, philological, and socio-historical research on ancient West Asia is undertaken. One outcome of the easy access is a much decreased usage of the major Akkadian dictionaries. Based on a specific case study, the semantic field of ‘the foreign other,’ I showcase the immense potential of the digitized versions of the Chicago Assyrian Dictionary (CAD) and the Akkadisches Handwörterbuch (AHw) for accessing ancient data on socio-historical issues. Even a basic search including one feedback loop yields more than 80 different way of expressing ‘foreign otherness’ via synonymic lexemes, negated antonyms, compounds and circumscriptions as well as structural means and oblique references. However, the workflow for accessing the dictionary data is exceedingly labourious in its currently available print and digitized formats. Here, the currently available online tools have many advantages, especially regarding performance issues, in part also with regard to content access. By exemplifying the advantages and limitations of the various online tools and the potential of using them in tandem with the major dictionaries, I highlight how the combination of the various assets could benefit the design of the new digital Leipzig Akkadian Dictionary.

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