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  • From: furuli AT online.no
  • To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] A Reply - WAV question
  • Date: Sun, 30 May 2004 08:03:34 +0200

Dear Vadim,

A six year old English girl masters her mother tongue with the aspects, tenses and moods without knowing a single grammatical rule. A Hebrew girl in the 1st millennium B. C. E. would master her language in a similar way. Both would learn their language the natural way from informants (parents and friends). When we try to describe a dead language by way of induction without informants, we sometimes come up with rather complex rules. That does not make the language itself complex, but we, who describe the dead language by the help of a second language, need to write such a grammar. So, the simple thoughts of the Hebrew girl helped her to master her language, the rather complex definitions of aspect and mood help us to understand her language.


Best regards
Rolf


Rolf Furuli
University of Oslo




Chris,

You're talking of the people who wouldn't even understand a notion of
perfect tense. Those were very simple folks. Don't ascribe to them a love to
modern grammar.


Sincerely,

Vadim Cherny






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