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b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] Fw: Aramaic to them?

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  • From: Peter Kirk <peterkirk AT qaya.org>
  • To: Karl Randolph <kwrandolph AT email.com>
  • Cc: Hebrew <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Fw: Aramaic to them?
  • Date: Sat, 06 Mar 2004 03:54:45 -0800

On 05/03/2004 23:25, Karl Randolph wrote:

Peter:

But already in late Biblical Hebrew, in other words, those sections written
after the Galut Babel, not only was the Hebrew simpler but it also shows the
influence of Aramaic. ...


It is precisely these simplifications that lead to the conclusion that the language was living. Mind you, I don't think they were all simplifications, just changes. And I am thinking primarily of grammatical forms, not loan words. The contrast with a dead language is that the latter becomes frozen or fossilised, with the grammatical forms of the classical language copied without gradual change. The graduation classical BH - late BH - DSS Hebrew - Mishnaic Hebrew shows the kind of gradual grammatical changes, e.g. in the verb system e.g. gradual loss of WAYYIQTOL forms and reanalysis of YIQTOL as future, characteristic of a living language rather than a fossil.


--
Peter Kirk
peter AT qaya.org (personal)
peterkirk AT qaya.org (work)
http://www.qaya.org/





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