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b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] A threat to the integrity of the Hebrew language?

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Subject: Biblical Hebrew Forum

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  • From: Peter Kirk <peter.r.kirk AT ntlworld.com>
  • To: Trevor Peterson <06PETERSON AT cua.edu>
  • Cc: Biblical Hebrew <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>, Hebrew Computing list <hebrewcomputing AT yahoogroups.com>, Peter Constable <peter_constable AT SIL.ORG>
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] A threat to the integrity of the Hebrew language?
  • Date: Fri, 18 Jul 2003 10:09:05 -0700

On 18/07/2003 09:41, Trevor Peterson wrote:

===== Original Message From peter.r.kirk AT ntlworld.com =====
So if any of you have any comments to make, either for or against this
proposal, please speak up now. I will pass on any comments I receive
(unless requested otherwise) to those who are considering the proposal,
via the Unicode list, or more personally if requested or if that seems
more appropriate to me. I can withhold names if requested, but
attributable comments will be given greater weight.


I would prefer not to distinguish between the two, if it can be avoided. It seems like Israelis would be even more inclined to object. Who wants to have to change languages when you're typing an article in Hebrew to begin with and decide to quote BH? It also forces a distinction that they would not tend to recognize (and as you say, it leaves a gaping hole where centuries of Hebrew texts that are neither modern nor biblical are concerned). For that matter, Tiberian BH, strictly speaking, is a medieval phenomenon. Since this issue applies only to vowels and diacritics, there is nothing pre-Masoretic about it. So what we're really talking about is a need to better implement the pointing standard set by the Tiberian Masoretes. As far as that goes, isn't the idea that Modern Hebrew (where it bothers to vowel at all) is following the Tiberian system? Sure, there may be situations that need to be addressed in BH that are unique and just don't come up in modern usage, but wouldn't it make more sense to adapt the system for Hebrew as a whole and just accept that some of what it contains will be irrelevant for modern texts?

Trevor Peterson
CUA/Semitics

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Thank you, Trevor. I am copying your comments to Peter Constable.

--
Peter Kirk
peter.r.kirk AT ntlworld.com
http://web.onetel.net.uk/~peterkirk/






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