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  • From: Michael Abernathy <mabernathy AT conwaycorp.net>
  • To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [b-hebrew] the value of a little Modern Hebrew for Biblical Hebrew was Please help a beginner
  • Date: Tue, 31 May 2011 11:09:46 -0500

Randall Buth said, "I'm not sure what value 'a little' modern Hebrew has."

What value is there in a little Modern Hebrew? I guess I should explain by what I mean by a little.If you can, I would recommend that you finish at least one complete course in Modern Hebrew.I have next to me a copy of Edna Coffin’s /Lessons in Modern Hebrew/.Looking over the glossary I note that she has included about 1200 words in her glossary.I can’t say what is typical but both of my daughters had a vocabulary of over 2000 words by the time they entered kindergarten. That fits in my definition of “a little Hebrew.”

I suggested a little Modern Hebrew precisely because there are a lot more resources available to help you internalize the language.For instance, Stanford University has supplied some videos to help beginning students at http://www.stanford.edu/class/hebrew/hsa/lessons1_10.html.You can find a number of audio and video files to help learn Modern Hebrew vocabulary here http://www.my-hebrew-dictionary.com/videos.htm.LiveMocha which I already mentioned uses a method similar to Rosetta Stone.Personally, I enjoy listening to music in Hebrew on youtube.Iif you don’t have a wide vocabulary, you can find songs complete with Hebrew and English subtitles.After you become familiar with the vocabulary look for the same songs without the subtitles.I could go on but you probably get the point.

A secondary reason for studying modernHebrew is that it is unfamiliar.Assuming you have read the Bible before learning Hebrew your learning is somewhat handicapped by the fact that you have some memory of what the text says before you even read it. Any course in modern Hebrew is going to include something that is new to you.

A third benefit to modern Hebrew is also somewhat of a detriment.Modern Hebrew differs from Biblical Hebrew in that certain features that are common in modern Hebrew are rare in Biblical Hebrew while features common in Biblical Hebrew are rare in modern Hebrew.For example, the construct noun ispretty rare in modern Hebrew preferring to use $EL, שֶׁל, instead.As a result,reading modern Hebrew helps you become acquainted with some of the less common features of Biblical Hebrew.

Now for the downside.This is just my opinion so feel free to disagree.Aside from the differences in vocabulary, the textbooks I have for modern Hebrew tend to use a sentence structure that closely resembles English, subject, verb, object.Biblical Hebrew tends to read verb, subject, object.I feel that learning modern Hebrew has helped me internalize the language.But the difference in sentence structure plus the use of rarer elements makes me feel like I’m learning English from Yoda.

So, I’d say learn a little modern Hebrew—any is better than none.Study it as long as it helps.But don’t make a lifelong study of modern Hebrew unless you find you really like it.

Sincerely,
Michael Abernathy





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