1. Homer's linguistic forebears
- Author
-
William F. Wyatt
- Subjects
Linguistics and Language ,Archeology ,Thematic transformation ,History ,Literature and Literary Theory ,Visual Arts and Performing Arts ,Poetry ,Classics ,EPIC ,Composition (language) ,Language and Linguistics ,Linguistics - Abstract
M. L. West has recently presented a magisterial account of the history of Greek epic in which Aeolic phases and other entities are assumed. His account is the more impressive because it combines linguistic features skilfully handled with an account of the thematic development of epic, and also specifies at what stages the various linguistic features entered the tradition. West assumes an Aeolic phase, or phases, of heroic epic composition, and accounts for the presence of Aeolic forms (162): ‘It has usually been inferred that they are just a residue left after Ionian poets had adapted an Aeolic poetic language into their own dialect as far as it would go. This is, I have no doubt, the correct interpretation.’ I think it is not.
- Published
- 1992