Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Peter Kirk" <Peter_Kirk AT sil.org>]

Not necessarily. Consider English “corn”, originally and still in Britain a generic, which became associated with a newly discovered specific type (also known as maize) in America. Similarly BARZEL could have been an original generic which became attached to a newly invented specific.

 

Peter Kirk

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Polycarp66 AT aol.com [mailto:Polycarp66 AT aol.com]
Sent: 31 August 2002 04:35
To: Biblical Hebrew
Subject: Re: Iron and Bronze.

 

In a message dated 8/30/2002 9:14:44 AM Eastern Daylight Time, Yigal-Levin AT utc.edu writes:

Another thought: while I don't doubt that "barzel" means "iron", could it
be used in this passage as a geneic name for all metalworking? Which would
solve your question.

If, however, BRZL is used as a generic term for metalworking, would that not assume that ironmongery was sufficiently established for the term to be used as a generic term for metalworking?

gfsomsel ---