Laboratory of Oriental studies and comparative linguistics

Abstract

In this brief presentation of the structure and goals of the newly formed Laboratory of Oriental Studies and comparative linguistics (School for Advanced Studies in the Humanities, RANEPA), it is emphasized that, since all the research projects of the department have to do with historical purposes, its main activity can be loosely defned as «reconstruction of concepts». Our studies in various spheres of Orientalistics (Sinology, Japanology, Buddhology, Iranology) mostly center around translation, analysis, and clarifcation of various culturally important texts of the respective civilizations, whereas our comparative-linguistic studies deal with reconstruction of basic and cultural lexicon for protolanguages on various levels of time depth, many of which can be considered as direct ancestors to those Oriental languages that are well known today as major «concept vehicles» for highly infuential cultures of the East. It may be said that Oriental and historical-linguistic studies at SASH are at the same time trying to «preserve the past», salvaging all the positive legacy left behind by the formerly impressive Soviet Orientalistics, and to «look into the future» by integrating with the most progressive currents in modern Oriental humanities and comparative linguistics abroad.