Really Dead Languages (RDL) is a program offered annually by the Department of Ancient and Medieval Languages and Cultures and its collaborators on the Catholic University faculty--and elsewhere. Workshop sessions over three intensive days provide introductions to a variety of ancient and medieval languages and the ways in which they were used by their writers. No prior knowledge is required; attendance is open to the public and is completely free.

Speakers at RDL equip audience members with a basic understanding of each language (and its script), provide handouts that serve as reference tools, and answer questions both during seminars and at breaks and receptions. Participants emerge with enough knowledge to recognize these languages elsewhere, and with the curiosity to keep learning more!

  • The 2025 RDL Program

    Really Dead Languages II
    February 6-8, 2025

    Carthaginian inscription
    Carthaginian inscription

    Sessions:

    • Thursday 6 Feb 4pm - Manichaean Middle Persian
    • Thursday 6 Feb 5:30pm - The Celtic Languages
    • Friday 7 Feb 4pm - Mayan Hieroglyphs
    • Friday 7 Feb 5:30pm - Tour of Semitics/Institute of Christian Oriental Research (ICOR) collections
    • Saturday 8 Feb 10am - Sanskrit
    • Saturday 8 Feb 11:15am - Phoenician
    • Saturday 8 Feb 12:30pm - Lunch at Garvey Hall
    • Saturday 8 Feb 1:15pm - Tour of Semitics/Institute of Christian Oriental Research (ICOR) collections
    • Saturday 8 Feb 2pm - Iron Age Hebrew Funerary Inscriptions
    • Saturday 8 Feb 3:15pm - Runes: There and Back Again
    • Saturday 8 Feb 4:15pm - Closing discussion

  • The 2024 (Inaugural) RDL Program

    Really Dead Languages and their Epigraphy
    January 25-27, 2024

    behistun_inscription_reliefs.jpg
    The Behistun Inscription

    Sessions:

    • Akkadian (Thursday 25 January 2024, 4:00pm-5:15pm) (presenter: Andrew Gross)
    • The Behistun Inscription (Thursday 25 January 2024, 5:30pm-6:30pm) (presenter: Andrew Gilmour)
    • Etruscan (Friday 26 January 2024, 4:00pm-5:15pm) (presenter: William Klingshirn)
    • Aramaic (Friday 26 January 2024, 5:30pm-6:30pm) (presenter: Edward Cook)
    • Egyptian Hieroglyphs (Saturday 27 January 2024, 9:00 am-10:00am) (presenter: Jamie Duguid)
    • Coptic (Saturday 27 January 2024, 10:15am-11:15am) (presenter: Janet Timbie)
    • Linear B (Saturday 27 January 2024, 11:30am-12:30pm) (presenter: Sarah Ferrario)
    • Old English (Saturday 27 January 2024, 1:30pm-2:30pm) (presenter: Beth Ooi)
    • Runes (Saturday 27 January 2024, 2:45pm-3:45pm) (presenter: Lilla Kopár)
    • Closing Epigraphy Roundtable (Saturday 27 January 2024, 4:00pm-4:30pm) (leaders: Sarah Ferrario and Lilla Kopár)