Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Dave Washburn" <dwashbur AT nyx.net>]

Jason,
> I notice the transliteration system proposed on this site and think that it 
> is a little odd.  For instance, how are you supposed to use a period (.) to 
> show a daghesh?  B."N is supposed to be for son (*ben*)?  Is that  not a 
> little strange?  The point of a transliteration is to be able to read it 
> and tell what it is and how it would look in the original language.  It 
> takes way too much to go from B."N to *ben*.  Can we suggest a better 
> system?  I know that most do not use the system as it is now, but it would 
> be nice to have an across-the-board system that is easier to recognize 
> without the silliness of this  one.

Actually, for the most part this is the system used in the CCAT 
files and the Westminster database of the Hebrew text.  The 
reason for the various characters is for font mapping, mostly; cf. 
the SPTiberian font available from the TELA site.  I suggest you 
grab that font and maybe Silver Mountain's SHebrew font, which 
uses the same mapping, experiment with doing some typing in 
Hebrew with them, and you'll get used to the system.  It's like 
anything else, it comes with practice.  

> Just curious.  I like the idea of separating between *qamets* and *patach*, 
> but when we see an F, do we really think of the sound of A, so that BFNFH 
> is really *banah*?  We need a better system.

Actually, yes I do think in these terms when I see BFNFH because 
I've worked with it for several years now.  In actual practice I don't 
usually notate dagesh lene, and with dagesh forte I sometimes use 
the period and sometimes just double the letter in question.  
Inconsistent, I know, still a matter of convenience.  You can 
download the basic CCAT transliteration table for both Hebrew and 
Greek from my home page, and I suggest you spend some time 
working with it.  It really doesn't take that long for it to become 
second nature.


Dave Washburn
http://www.nyx.net/~dwashbur
Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth;
give me an undivided heart that I may fear your name.
                                   Psalm 86:11