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Full-Text Articles in Indo-European Linguistics and Philology
The Colometry Of Tocharian 4x15-Syllable Verse, Christoph Bross, Dieter C. Gunkel, Kevin M. Ryan
The Colometry Of Tocharian 4x15-Syllable Verse, Christoph Bross, Dieter C. Gunkel, Kevin M. Ryan
Classical Studies Faculty Publications
We identify the basic colometry of Tocharian 4x15-syllable verse as 4+3+3+5 (traditionally 7+8), but we find no support for the putative alternative colometries of 4x15 often cited in the literature (viz. 6+4+5 and 8+7). In rare cases in which the medial caesura is violated, a word boundary after syllable 6 or 8 is highly probable by chance alone, as we confirm through corpus statistics. If the colometry is indeed invariable, one major argument for the influence of Indic on Tocharian meter is undermined. We further reinforce that the medial caesura after syllable 7 is no stronger than the final one …
Caesurae, Bridges, And The Colometry Of Four Tocharian B Meteres, Christoph Bross, Dieter Gunkel, Kevin M. Ryan
Caesurae, Bridges, And The Colometry Of Four Tocharian B Meteres, Christoph Bross, Dieter Gunkel, Kevin M. Ryan
Classical Studies Faculty Publications
The Tocharians composed verse in hierarchical structures, with the verse dominating major cola, and the major colon in turn dominating one or more minor cola. After providing much-needed descriptive data on Tocharian meter, we assess the evidence for the distinction between major vs. minor caesurae in some of the most popular Tocharian B meters, finding support for the commonly assumed colometries in some but not all cases. Of particular interest is the recurring 4+3 syllable colon, since the violability of its internal (putatively minor) caesurae varies significantly across meters. We argue that this varying strictness is indeed a function of …