Biblical Hebrew Forum

[yochanan bitan-buth <ButhFam AT compuserve.com>]

rolf
thank you for the extra note. Actually, I just want to be able to discuss
Hebrew. 
I am not interested in typos or miswrites but in hebrew as a communicative
system. To paraphrase a recent post:

1. It is impossible to fully understand a living language.
2. the English verb system will never be fully understood. 
I agree with this. Because analysis is  a secondary layer to a language. 

But the analytical situation does not stop one from being able to read it,
to use it, and to enjoy the literautre etc. 
And people have been reading the hebrew bible continuously for "3000" years
and understanding it in its bulk. (=+ I believe in a "first temple
Hebrew".)

anyway, in my intensive class this week students will be hearing and
following their first stories tomorrow and friday. Today they heard their
first sentences with vav hahippux. The forms surprised them but they could
see the meaning. They still don't know the alphabet. Still without a
metalinguistic word about the Hebrew verb. Everything is biblical HEbrew.
I'll give them something in English next week, fuzzy-edged, of course.
Meanwhile, there is still a lot of laughter and fun in class. 

One trick I am just beginning to take advantage of is having two teachers
simultaneously presenting material and interacting with each other. It is
rememarkable what can be communciated to students.

bivraxot
Randall Buth