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  • From: Peter Kirk <peter AT qaya.org>
  • To: Chris and Nel <wattswestmaas AT eircom.net>
  • Cc: B-Hebrew <b-hebrew AT lists.Ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Gesenius on Femininity, response to Peter and Karl
  • Date: Wed, 27 Sep 2006 20:26:51 +0100

On 27/09/2006 17:42, Chris and Nel wrote:
Peter and Karl

That is my point: "Arbitrary" - I don't really like that. Arbitrary in this instance can also be a replacement for "we have not found the reason"? For example, when the numbers 3 t/m 10 take the masc and fem endings back to front when modifying their counterparts? Is this arbitrary? Or do we assume that there is a jolly good reason lost to us for the present?

Secondly there are patterns for nouns apparently without "natural
gender", such as: Earth and nations, parts of the body, a lot of abstracts; I could go on with examples but I am sure that you know them.

Yes, there are some patterns, but that does not imply that everything fits such a pattern.

Your attitude reminds me of that of Einstein, who insisted that "God does not play dice" and so the results of quantum mechanics could not be arbitrary. But he was wrong, as Stephen Hawking has demonstrated - see http://www.hawking.org.uk/lectures/dice.html (and http://speakertruth.blogspot.com/2006/09/dawkins-is-wrong-scientist-can-believe.html).


--
Peter Kirk
E-mail: peter AT qaya.org
Blog: http://speakertruth.blogspot.com/
Website: http://www.qaya.org/




  • Re: [b-hebrew] Gesenius on Femininity, response to Peter and Karl, Peter Kirk, 09/27/2006

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