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  • From: Jim West <jwest AT highland.net>
  • To: nbtp AT sil.org
  • Cc: b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu
  • Subject: Re: Hebrew study levels
  • Date: Tue, 19 Oct 1999 11:45:31 -0400


At 02:52 PM 10/19/99 -0400, you wrote:
>Dear friends,
>
>Does someone has an idea for analysing different levels of Hebrew study?

I presume you mean level of difficulty.

>
>1. If someone has done complete study of Page H. Kelly's book on
>"Introduction
>to Biblical Hebrew", Is he considered an intermediate level student or still
>a
>beginner?
>Same for Weingreen's or Thomas Lambdin's book on Biblical Hebrew.

All of these can best be categorized as "beginning" grammars.

>
>2. If a student has only studied half (or part) of the above mentioned
>books,
>what level would you sugest for that?

First semester Hebrew course = half of any of the above named grammars.

>
>If there is some set standard for different levels of Hebrew study, please
>let
>me know.

Generally, one precedes through an entire grammar in an academic year.
Thus, the first semester one would do half of Weingreen (or the others)-
then the second semester one would do the second half. One, having
completed 2 semesters of grammar, would be, then, at the merely beginning
stages.

Intermediate skill comes from another 2 semesters (or year) of Hebrew
grammar, using something like Gesenius.

Advanced skill (speaking in terms of levels) would come with another year of
Hebrew study wherein one would spend most of his or her time translating
biblical texts, dead sea scrolls, and perhaps some rabbinic material.

When one has preceded through these stages then, and only then, can one be
described as "proficient" in the language. To master it, one must spend
one's life with it.

Best,

Jim
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
Jim West, ThD
email- jwest AT highland.net
web page- http://web.infoave.net/~jwest

'Behold, there is no profession which is not governed, it is only the
learned man who rules himself. The poor ignorant man, whos name is unknown,
is like a heavily-laden donkey; he is driven by the scribe'--- Ancient
Egyptian Proverb





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