Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Peter Kirk <peter.r.kirk AT ntlworld.com>]

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/