Indo-European Studies I
What differentiates a culture as Indo-European? Describe several of the factors that define a culture as Indo-European and how those defining factors are useful in understanding that culture. (minimum 300 words) J.P. Mallory tells us that some argue for comparative mythology over comparative philology, if we are to gain any progress in Indo-Europeans studies. He implies that straight lexical comparisons are less rewarding when considered alone (Mallory 130). In our identification efforts towards defining what is Indo-European we must look to comparative mythology, linguistics and archeology, through the lens of Dumezilian Tripartition. Tripartition, as Georges Dumezil demonstrates, is the core Indo-European(IE) Ideology. Following this method, the first thing that jumps out at us is their reverence for the Indo-European’s own social structure, which such reverence is a distinct Indo-European quality (Mallory 130). Tripartition as sacred is unique to the Indo-Europeans and
