Biblical Hebrew Forum

[jharper AT ix.netcom.com]

Howdy.  I'm an infinitesimal Hebrew [only one year under my belt, although I 
did that one year 
three times over 15 years <bg>] and I'll be starting intermediate next year.  
The instructor tells 
me that what we'll be doing is reading, 15 verses per session [30/week], in 
the books of Samuel 
and Kings.  So far so good.

Now, I've been running around like a decapitated chicken this summer trying 
NOT to forget all the 
rules I learned, how to conjugate I-nun verbs in Hiphil, what happens to 
hollow verbs in pi'el, 
the whole megillah of multiple prepositions and how they change in meaning .. 
you get the picture.  
So, to the many experienced teachers on this list I have to ask:  how much of 
that stuff do you 
REALLY expect someone to remember at the beginning of the second year?  And 
how big is it 
realistic to expect someone's vocabulary to be at the end of the first year, 
in terms of sight 
reading without a lexicon?

Second question: how do people EVER learn to read Hebrew without the 
pointing?  In so many cases 
it seems that the difference between one binyan and another is entirely in 
the vowels ... how can 
context help in that instance?

Just a curious little newbie here.  Thanks in advance for answering.

Janie

***********************
Jane Harper, Pacific School of Religion, Berkeley
jharper AT ix.netcom.com      ICQ#33841091
Si hic legere scis, nimium eruditionem habes.