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  • From: "Peter Kirk"<peter_kirk AT sil.org>
  • To: <b-hebrew AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>, <gs02wmr AT panther.Gsu.EDU>
  • Subject: Re: Saadia Gaon: Where did Hebrew Come From?
  • Date: Sat, 19 Feb 2000 11:26:57 -0500


Dear Wondell,

I think that Gaon's contribution has been misunderstood. In the
passage quoted he clearly distinguishes Hebrew and Arabic as different
languages - though he and many Jews spoke Arabic as well as Hebrew at
that time. To summarise what he wrote: "Someone has written a useful
Arabic grammar. I have decided to write a similar grammar of Hebrew."
He was copying the concept, and because the languages are quite
similar he could also have copied some of the structure of the work,
but the details would be different for Hebrew and Arabic.

Hebrew cannot possibly be derived from classical Arabic, as the Dead
Sea Scrolls prove that it is much older than the classical Arabic of
the Qur'an and early Muslim works. Hebrew and Arabic have a common
ancestor, but that must have been well before any surviving
literature.

Peter Kirk


______________________________ Reply Separator
_________________________________
Subject: Saadia Gaon: Where did Hebrew Come From?
Author: <gs02wmr AT panther.Gsu.EDU> at Internet
Date: 18/02/2000 09:34


Shalum,

What follows this introduction seems to almost entirely exclude
Hieroglyphic, ancient Sumerian, Akkadian, Assyrian, Babylonian, and/or
Persian writings, languages, and etymologies - but I found this
discussion on a newsgroup and would like to hear some of your opinions on
it.

An individual on a newsgroup made the claim that the Hebrew language is
directly derived from Arabic, or classical Arabic. To support this, he
quotes the Hebrew linguist Saadia Gaon:

"Saadia expresses himself unreservedly about his indebtness to Arabic
authors, who served him as models in the composition of his work. "It is
reported," he says, "that one of the worthies among the Ishmaelites,
realizing to his sorrow that the people do not use the Arabic language
correctly, wrote a short treatise for them. From which they might learn
proper usages. Similarly, I have noticed that many of the Israelites even
the common rules for the correct usage of our (Hebrew) language, much less
the more difficult rules, so that when they speak in prose most of it is
faulty, and when they write poetry only a few of the ancient rules are
observed, and majority of them are neglected. This has induced me to
compose a work in two parts containing most of the (Hebrew) words." "

"The rules of the Hebrew grammer adverted to in the fragments of this work
possessed by us - only a little more than the introduction has been
preserved - like wise reveal the influence of the school of Arabic
grammarians."

"In all probability the language of the Koran had become the vernacular of
most of the Jews and the Samaritans soon after the Hegrah. This being the
case, it is obvious that Saadia could make use of the literature of the
Arabs as well as the works of Judeo-Arabic authors." [pp. 37]

Henry Malter, "Saadia Gaon: His Life And Works", 1921, The Jewish
Publication Society of America, Philadelphia, pp. 39-40.


Your Thoughts????

Shalum Achshaav,

Wondell M. Rachman





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