Professor Philomen Probert

Research interests and profile:

Philomen Probert is interested in ancient Greek, Latin, Anatolian and Indo-European linguistics, and in the Graeco-Roman grammatical tradition. She has written on the prehistory of the Greek accentuation system, its contribution to historical linguistics and phonological theory, its description in ancient grammatical texts, and on relative clauses in Anatolian and early Greek.

Publications:

Books:

S. Roussou and P. Probert, Ancient and medieval thought on Greek enclitics. Oxford University Press 2023.

Latin grammarians on the Latin accent: the transformation of Greek grammatical thought. Oxford University Press 2019. DOI: 10.1093/oso/9780198841609.001.0001

Early Greek Relative Clauses. Oxford University Press 2015. DOI: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198713821.001.0001

Ancient Greek Accentuation: Synchronic Patterns, Frequency Effects, and Prehistory. Oxford University Press 2006. DOI: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199279609.001.0001

A New Short Guide to the Accentuation of Ancient Greek. Duckworth/Bristol Classical Press 2003.
 
Edited volumes:

Laws and Rules in Indo-European, edited with A. Willi. Oxford University Press 2012.  
DOI: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199609925.001.0001

Oxford University Working Papers in Linguistics, Philology & Phonetics 3, edited with P.
Elbourne and J. Zerdin. Oxford: Centre for Linguistics and Philology, 1998).
 
Articles and chapters:

“‘Between uneducated and educated, or hot and cold, or bitter and sweet … there’s a middle point’: Varro and the Middle Accent”. In J. F. Eska, O. Hackstein, R. I. Kim, and J.-F. Mondon (eds), The method works: studies on language change in honor of Don Ringe. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan 2024, 307–26. Read on line here: https://rdcu.be/dM881 (but please first read the abstract here).

N. Schoubben, J. Koning, B. van Velthoven, and P. Probert, ‘Of tortoise necks and dialects: a new edition of the Grammaticus Leidensis’. Byzantinische Zeitschrift 116 (2023): 929–63. DOI: 10.1515/bz-2023-0039

P. Probert and E. Dickey, ‘Een populaire Oudgriekse grammatica: Alexander Scot, Universa grammatica Græca […]’. In W. van Anrooij and P. Hoftijzer (eds), Tot publijcque dienst der studie: Boeken uit de Bibliotheca Thysiana. Hilversum: Verloren 2023, pp. 102–3. [pdf]

M. A. Rodda, P. Probert, and B. McGillivray, ‘Vector space models of Greek word meaning, and a case study on Homer’. Traitement automatique des langues 60(3) (2019) [2020]: 63–87. https://www.atala.org/content/tal_60_3_3

P. Probert and S. Roussou, ‘The invention of the Greek prosodic signs’. Journal of Hellenic Studies 139 (2019): 125–46. DOI: 10.1017/S0075426919000661

‘Greek dialects in the Lexicon’. In C. Stray, M. Clarke, and J. T. Katz (eds), Liddell and Scott: the history, methodology, and languages of the world’s leading lexicon of ancient Greek. Oxford University Press 2019, pp. 200–25. DOI: 10.1093/oso/9780198810803.001.0001 [pdf]

‘Are correlative pronouns always overt in Lydian?’ In D. Gunkel, S. W. Jamison, A. O. Mercado, and K. Yoshida (eds), Vina diem celebrent: studies in linguistics and philology in honor of Brent Vine. Ann Arbor 2018, pp. 363–79 [pdf]

‘Houses in which a serf living in the country does not reside: a reconsideration of Gortyn Laws column 4 lines 31–37’. In A. Willi (ed.), Sprachgeschichte und Epigraphik: Festgaben für Rudolf Wachter zum 60. Geburtstag. Innsbruck 2017, pp. 57–81 (with E. Dickey). http://www.academia.edu/31767779 [pdf]

‘Six notes on Latin correlatives’. In J. N. Adams and N. Vincent, Early and late Latin: continuity or change? Cambridge 2016, pp. 390–419 (with E. Dickey). DOI: 10.1017/CBO9781316450826.018 ; http://www.academia.edu/29702036

‘Zeus on the stud farm? Against a Homeric instance of attractio relativi’. Mnemosyne 69 (2016), 365-81. DOI: 10.1163/1568525X-12341879

“The ‘Ϝhεδιέστας’ inscription from Archaic Argos (SEG 11:314): a reconsideration”. Journal of Hellenic Studies 135 (2015), 110-31 (with E. Dickey). DOI: 10.1017/S0075426915000099

‘Ancient theory of prosody’. In F. Montanari, S. Matthaios, and A. Rengakos (eds), Brill’s Companion to Ancient Greek Scholarship, volume 2. Brill 2015, 923-48. DOI: 10.1163/9789004281929_019

‘Relative clauses, Indo-Hittite, and Standard Average European’. In S. W. Jamison, H. C.    Melchert, and B. Vine (eds), Proceedings of the 25th Annual UCLA Indo-European Conference. Hempen 2014, pp. 137–64. [pdf]

‘Origins of the Greek law of limitation’. In P. Probert and A. Willi (eds), Laws and Rules in Indo-European. Oxford University Press 2012, pp. 163–81. DOI: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199609925.003.0011 [pdf]

 ‘Introduction’. In P. Probert and A. Willi (eds), Laws and Rules in Indo-European. Oxford University Press 2012, pp. 1–13 (with A. Willi). DOI: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199609925.003.0001 [pdf]

‘Attic irregularities: their reinterpretation in the light of Atticism’. In S. Matthaios, F. Montanari and A. Rengakos (eds), Ancient Scholarship and Grammar: Archetypes, Concepts and Contexts (Trends in Classics Supplementary Volumes, 8). de Gruyter 2011, pp. 269–90. DOI: 10.1515/9783110254044.269

‘Ancient Greek Accentuation in Generative Phonology and Optimality Theory’. Language and Linguistics Compass 4 (2010), 1–26. DOI: 10.1111/j.1749-818X.2009.00176.x

‘Roman authors on colloquial language’. In E. Dickey and A. Chahoud (eds), Colloquial and Literary Latin. Cambridge University Press 2010, pp. 12–41 (with R. Ferri). DOI: 10.1017/CBO9780511763267.004

‘Phonology’. In E. J. Bakker (ed.), A Companion to the Ancient Greek Language. Wiley-Blackwell 2010, pp. 85–103. DOI: 10.1002/9781444317398.ch7

‘Comparative philology and linguistics’. In G. Boys-Stones, B. Graziosi and P. Vasunia (eds), The Oxford Handbook of Hellenic Studies. Oxford University Press 2009, pp. 697–708. DOI: 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199286140.013.0061

‘Mycenaean o- is accusative; jo- is nominative’, Glotta 84 (2008[2009]), pp. 126–68. http://www.jstor.org/stable/40730994

‘Clause boundaries in Old Hittite relative sentences’, Transactions of the Philological Society 104 (2006), pp. 17–83. DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-968X.2006.00165.x

‘Accentuation in ancient Greek deverbative ā-stems. In D. Kölligan and R. Sen (eds), Oxford University Working Papers in Linguistics, Philology & Phonetics 11 (2006), pp. 122–42. [pdf]

‘Accentuation in old Attic, later Attic, and Attic’. In J.H.W. Penney (ed.), Indo-European Perspectives: Studies in Honour of Anna Morpurgo Davies. Oxford University Press 2004, pp. 277–91. [pdf]

‘On the prosody of Latin enclitics’. In I. J. Hartmann and A. Willi (eds), Oxford University Working Papers in Linguistics, Philology & Phonetics 7 (2002), pp. 181–206. [pdf]
 

Reviews:

Review of É. Dieu, Traité d’accentuation grecque. Kratylos 68 (2023): 123–32. DOI: 10.29091/KRATYLOS/2023/1/15

Review of A. A. Nijk, Tense switching in classical Greek: a cognitive approach. Bryn Mawr Classical Review 2023.02.37. https://bmcr.brynmawr.edu/2023/2023.02.37

Review of F. Lambert and G. Bonnet, Apollonius Dyscole et Priscien: Transmettre, traduire, interpréter.  Éléments d’une histoire problématique. Historiographica Linguistica, published online 3 October 2022. DOI: 10.1075/hl.00099.pro

Review of E. Dettori, Antidorus, Dionysius Iambus, Epigenes, Lysanias, Parmenon, Silenus, Simaristus, Simmias. Classical Review 71 (2021): 68–70. DOI: 10.1017/S0009840X21000081

Review of F. Schironi, The best of the grammarians: Aristarchus of Samothrace on the Iliad. Phoenix 72 (2018) [2019]: 369–71. https://www.jstor.org/stable/pdf/10.7834/phoenix.72.3-4.0369.pdf

Review of C. Vessella, Sophisticated speakers: Atticistic pronunciation in the Atticist lexica. Anzeiger für die Altertumswissenschaft 70 (2017) [2019]: 232–7.

Review of K. Bentein, Verbal periphrasis in ancient Greek: have- and be- constructions. Classical Review 68 (2017): 1–3. DOI: 10.1017/S0009840X17001524

Review of J. N. Adams, An Anthology of Informal Latin 200 BC — AD 900. Classics for All Reading Room, August 2017. https://classicsforall.org.uk/reading-room/book-reviews/anthology-informal-latin-200-bc-ad-900-fifty-texts-translations-and

Review of C.H.George, Expressions of Time in Ancient Greek. Journal of Hellenic Studies 135 (2015): 306-7. DOI: 10.1017/S0075426915001238

Review of G. A. Xenis (ed), Iohannes Alexandrinus: Praecepta Tonica. Bryn Mawr Classical Review 2105.09.42 http://bmcr.brynmawr.edu/2015/2015-09-42.html

Review of C. Denizot and E.Dupraz (eds), Latin qui/qui, grec τις/τίς: parcours et fonctionnements. Études sur deux interrogatifs- indéfinis-relatifs. Bryn Mawr Classical Review 2015.04.17. bmcr.brynmawr.edu/2015/2015-04-17.html

Review of A. Ruppel, Absolute Constructions in Early Indo-European. Journal of Hellenic Studies  134 (2014), 289–90. DOI: 10.1017/S0075426914002663

Review of S. J. Bakker, The Noun Phrase in Ancient Greek: A Functional Analysis of the Order and Articulation of NP Constituents in Herodotus. Bryn Mawr Classical Review 2010.05.17. http://bmcr.brynmawr.edu/2010/2010-05-17.html

Review of H. Dik, Word Order in Greek Tragic Dialogue and N. Baechle, Metrical Constraint and the Interpretation of Style in the Tragic Trimeter. Mnemosyne 63 (2010), pp. 304–14. DOI:10.1163/156852510X496017

Review of J. Clackson and G. Horrocks, The Blackwell History of the Latin Language. Classical Review 59 (2009), pp. 445–7. DOI: 10.1017/S0009840X09000559

Review of H. A. Hoffner, Jr. and H. C. Melchert, A Grammar of the Hittite Language. Bryn Mawr Classical Review 2009.05.49. http://bmcr.brynmawr.edu/2009/2009-05-49.html

Review of M. Slavova, Phonology of the Greek inscriptions in Bulgaria. Journal of Hellenic Studies 126 (2006), pp. 205–6. http://www.jstor.org/stable/30033466

Review of C. H. George, Expressions of Agency in Ancient Greek. Classical Review 56 (2006), pp. 100–2. DOI: 10.1017/S0009840X05000521

Review of T. Meissner, S-Stem Nouns and Adjectives in Greek and Proto-Indo-European: A Diachronic Study in Word Formation. Journal of Classics Teaching 9 (2006): 40.

Review of D. Sedley, Plato’s Cratylus. Classical Review 55 (2005): 428–30. DOI: 10.1093/clrevj/bni238

Review of G. L. Cooper, Greek Syntax i-iv. Journal of Hellenic Studies 124 (2004): 178–9. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3246160

Review of R. Cribiore, Gymnastics of the Mind: Greek Education in Hellenistic and Roman Egypt. Bryn Mawr Classical Review 2003.05.15. http://bmcr.brynmawr.edu/2003/2003-05-15.html

Review of A.M. Devine and L.D. Stephens, The Prosody of Greek Speech. Classical
Review 51 (2001): 87–8. DOI: 10.1093/cr/51.1.87
 
Miscellaneous:
Obituary of Anna Morpurgo Davies (1937–2014). CUCD Bulletin 43, pp. 37–40. [pdf]

‘Yo relative!’. Ad Familiares 44 (2013), pp. 10–11.

‘Early Christianity and the Greek Language’. Omnibus 60 (2010), pp. 10–12.

‘Greek Accents Loud and Clear’. Ad Familiares 26 (2004), pp. 3–4.

‘Giving Directions in Euripides’ Hecuba’. Omnibus 49 (2004), pp. 3–4 (with E. Dickey).