Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

b-hebrew - Re: alliteration

b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Biblical Hebrew Forum

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: "Jack Kilmon" <jkilmon AT historian.net>
  • To: "Andrew & Debby Kulikovsky" <hermeneutics AT kulikovskyonline.net>, "Biblical Hebrew" <b-hebrew AT franklin.metalab.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: alliteration
  • Date: Sat, 24 Aug 2002 16:02:53 -0500



----- Original Message -----
From: "Andrew & Debby Kulikovsky" <hermeneutics AT kulikovskyonline.net>
To: "Biblical Hebrew" <b-hebrew AT franklin.metalab.unc.edu>
Sent: Saturday, August 24, 2002 3:14 PM
Subject: alliteration


> Hi All!
>
> I know alliteration is quite common in Hebrew poetry (eg. Ps 119) but is
it
> unique to poetry? Does anyone know if is used in Hebrew narrative? Any
> examples?


I think the assignment of alliteration to poetry, as in a literate modern
sense, is a mistake for an oral ancient society. In a society about 3%
literate, stories and narratives were read to the public with devices to
assist in memorization. I would go as far as to say that effective orators
and speakers could imbed these devices improvisationally, assonance,
alliteration, paronomasia and rhyming meter among those tools being almost
automatic. Whether in the oral "common tongue" of the am ha'aretz (Aramaic)
or in the written, lterate vehicle of the educated (Hebrew), these devices
for memorization were imbedded not as much for their poetic value but for
their mnemonic value. I would even pose that the first uses of poetry were
for mnemonic purposes rather than reading Emily Dickenson over tea.

I think Amos 9:14 is a good example of alliteration.

Also in Proverbs (Mishle Shlomo) 10:9 holek b'atom yalak betach and Proverbs
15:27 is unmistakeable.


Jack





Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page