Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Mark Wessner <mark AT wessner.ca>]

I here I thought I was asking a simple question yesterday ...  ;-)

Actually, this whole discussion proves the importance of this mailing list 
- where else could I get such a variety of comments from a variety of 
students and teachers?  Thank you for all of your advice!

I agree with you, Trevor, that it is better to learn the languages if at 
all possible.  An I that is the key - it is not necessarily *possible* for 
everybody (due to interest, ability, resources, need, whatever).  For 
example, I would never trade my ability to use the languages (although I am 
slowly getting rusty from non-use!) as it has changed the way I read the 
Bible (and almost every other text - ancient or modern).  However, I am 
also very aware that not everybody has the interest or opportunity to go 
all the way down the road.  It is with these people in mind, that I asked 
my original question.  And I obviously didn't state it clearly - sorry!

So ... given the interest in this subject, if any b-hebrewers (or 
b-greekers) would be interested in emailing me a list of their recommended 
introductory language resources (and identify if this is for scenario 1 or 
2), I would be happy to *try* to collate them into one list for your 
further review.  Such a resource may possibly prove to be a valuable tool 
(as a generic starting point) for anyone who is interested in beginning to 
learn/teach the languages.  Then, as an individual's interest and 
experience progresses, they will begin to form their own theory of language 
acquisition (as is already so evident on this list!).  I realize that this 
may be an audacious goal, but it would be one small way of putting a 
practical spin on all of this great discussion.

Let me know what you think ...

Mark

PS.  I appreciate your cautions about the "a little knowledge ..." 
catch-phrase, Bryan.

At 11:59 AM 17/12/02, Trevor Peterson wrote:
> >===== Original Message From Mark Wessner <mark AT wessner.ca> =====
> >Hmm ... I see two trains of thought developing regarding the intent of an
> >"introductory" Biblical language course:
> >
> >1) A clear goal of enabling the students to explore the better language
> >tools (commentaries, inter-linears, some lexicons, etc.).
>
> With the caveat that not everyone agrees that all these tools are good to put
> at students' disposal.
>
> [snipped]
>
> >An obviously, one is
> >not inherently "better" than the other, as they both use different
> >approaches to achieve different goals.
>
> I might disagree with that too :-) I still think that it's better to learn 
> the
> languages if at all possible.
>
> Trevor Peterson
> CUA/Semitics
>
>
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