[b-hebrew] English to Hebrew?

Uri Hurwitz uhurwitz at yahoo.com
Sat Dec 2 18:35:26 EST 2006


 Dear Rhienhard,
   
   While it is of course true that the MT as we have it consists of various 
  linguistic layers, one can still be a bit more optimistic about the actual 
  spoken language which provided the basis for the written texts:
   
     The existence of  texts from pre-exilic period which, -- more than 
  monumental inscriptions, -- reflect the daily speoken language at the time.
    The corpus may be modest, but we have no such examples from 
  neighboring speakers of NW dialects,  Moabites, Ammonites or Edomites, 
  or even Phoenicians.
   
    Secondly, the is a large number of examples of direct speech in the HB, 
  a complicated subject, but one which has direct bearing on this discussion.
   
    Finally, there is the intrinsic evdience of diachronic development in the
   BH itself. One would  have difficulty explaining it, were there no developments 
  in the spoken language.
   
    And, let's not forget that before the MT we have the evidence of the DSS;
  also that the Mishnah, completed  by C. 200 CE, at least six centuries 
  befoe the MT, already uses exactly such text in all its biblical quotes.
   
    All this has nothing to do do whether or not BH  should be used as 
   pedagogical tool with students.
   
    Regards,
   
    Uri
   
   
   
       Reinhard G. Lehmann  wrote, inter alia:
    "........And as far as BIBLICAL Hebrew is concerned it 
  is important to keep in mind that it is an artificial language, 
  mixing up several synchronic and diachronic different layers 
  (registers, dialects and so on). .....  Because there is no one to speak to who has a native speaker's  competence in Biblical Hebrew, there is neither a sound reason to 
  translate a paragraph of any language into Biblical Hebrew nor a 
  chance to learn anything from that lest that we are ignorant.

  Reinhard G. Lehmann
  Academical Director
  Forschungsstelle für althebräische Sprache
  Johannes Gutenberg-University of Mainz


 
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