Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Bryan Rocine" <596547 AT ican.net>]

B-Haverim,

Vince write:
> i continue my studies on that fateful year of 1826 when ewald came up
> with his idea of the verbal system based on his study of sanskrit and
> comparative indoeuropean studies. in part i have argued that this view
> was motivated by 19th cent racism, a view not original with me.
> 
>

Let me have a little fun re racism:  we can be blind to the possibilities
sometimes.  

For instance, imagine a people that don't multiply (as in arithmetic!). 
They can double numbers, they can halve numbers (kind of...they only deal
with whole numbers so half of odd numbers is rounded down, e.g., half of 3
is 1), they know whether numbers are odd or even, and they can add. Equipt
with this quirky, as it may seem to me, set of skills, this people can
efficiently and accurately figure the total cost of 37 apples at 17 cents a
piece or for us, 37 X 17.

Observe these steps:

1a. write the two relevant numbers beside each other(it doesn't matter
which one is on the right or left)
1b. keep halving the left # until you get to 1 and
1c. double the right # as many times as you halve the left

Result:
37           17      
18           34
9             68
4             136
2             272
1             544

2. Get rid of every row which has an even # on the left

Result:
37            17
9              68
1            544

3.  Add the #'s which remain on the right

Result:
              629  

RIGHT!  

Note:  It works every time.
Another note:  Is there really a group of people who work this way?  I
heard yes, but I don't really know.

So why does BH have to have tenses?  Because we do?  I know, I know.  It's
a silly analogy.  I said I just wanted to have a little fun.  

Anyhow, would anyone like to comment on these words of McFall (The Enigma
of the Hebrew Verbal System: Solutions from Ewald to the Present Day): 
"Turner's view is intriguing because it is the only solution that places a
real psychological gap between the Hebrew and the Indo-Germanic modes of
thought.  The general assumption in the other solutions has been either to
view Hebrew as a tense system, or as a rudimentary, crude, or elementary
tense system in a developing state.  These assumptions are due no doubt to
the fact that all solutions put forward in the period under review have
been the work of 'European' scholars.  One wonders what assumptions
non-European scholars (Chinese, Indonesian, Japanese, etc.) would
unconsciously adopt in their approach to the HVS[Hebrew Verbal System].  We
must keep in mind that the European scholars have unconsciously, and
understandably, looked for the familiar in the HVS.  Every care must be
taken in the future studies of the HVS not to approach it with any
preconceived ideas regarding the nature of its verbal system.  Turner's
solution has avoided the natural tendency observed in all other solutions
to align the HVS with his own native language.  In this he is virtually
unique, and this is his valuable contribution to future studies in this
area"(184)

BTW, Turner was a Christian, I think.  How about McFall?

Shalom,
Bryan


B. M. Rocine
Associate Pastor
Living Word Church
6101 Court St. Rd.
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