Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Karl Randolph" <kwrandolph AT email.com>]

In learning multiple modern languages, I analysed how I was learning them, 
then tried to learn BH the same way.

When I lived in Europe, I had the radio on to a local station in the 
background. At first I’d understand very little, but gradually I understood 
more and more.

Secondly, I think grammatical analysis is overrated. I doubt that native 
speakers 3000 years ago could give a detailed analysis of their speach as 
modern grammarians like to give. Even modern speakers for the most part 
cannot give that sort of analysis to their native tongues. They just speak 
“How is sounds right.”

Thirdly, unconsciously, people memorize phrases, sometimes complete 
sentences, to aid in learning “to speak correctly”. Further, when people make 
mistakes when speaking, they tend to memorize how to say it correctly.

Fourthly, acquisition of vocabulary is more important than learning nuances 
of grammar. One thing that helps in learning vocabulary is comparing and 
contrasting new words with synonyms and antonyms and seeing how they differ.

Knowing that I learn languages in this manner, I then tell others the same 
list when they want to learn English. I suspect that most people learned 
their “mother tongue” in the same way.

In learning an ancient language, the first step, having the language spoken 
in the background is not an option.

If I were to design a curriculum to learn BH, I would start with teaching 
people the phonetic values of the letters. Next I’d teach the basics of 
grammar with enough vocabulary to illustrate it. Then I’d have them start 
reading Genesis out loud. I would tell them not to worry about understanding 
everything perfectly the first time through. If a verse has one stumped, go 
on to the next. By the time the student reads the verse the next time 
through, he may have the answer to its meaning. Finally, I’d assign verses, 
passages and even chapters for the students to memorize. While the 
memorization for learning languages is largely unconscious, I could choose 
verses that illustrate principles covered in class.

My whole goal would be to get the students to internalize the sounds, 
cadances, vocabulary and grammar, of BH.

I’m glad the “Joash Stone” was shown to be a fake. When I first read it, the 
cadances didn’t seem right, some of the words jarred me as being 
inappropriate and some of the letters looked wrong. It violated how I had 
previously internalized BH. I couldn’t give a detailed description how they 
were wrong, just that they were. I was wondering if and how I would have to 
integrate that into what I knew, now I don’t have to.

I wonder about the value of learning IH to read BH. The two are different 
languages. The grammar is different, the cadances are different, even many 
words have different meanings. It’s like a Swede trying to understand a Dane, 
or a German trying to understand Dutch: the languages are recognizeably 
cognate languages and one can often get the gist of what’s said, but then 
maybe not.

Karl W. Randolph.

----- Original Message -----
From: Deborah Millier <deborahmillier AT yahoo.com>

> S. Yadav wrote:
> 
<snip>
> 
> > precisely which points of 
> > neglect have the tendency 
> > toward errors in judgment 
> > regarding a linguistically 
> > adequate description of 
> > classical Hebrew?
> 
> Sameer, are we more interested in
> "descri[bing]...classical Hebrew" or in actually
> understanding it.  Then (afterward) perhaps describing
> it.  I am aware that there is insight to be gained
> from an outsider view of a language.  God knows that
> when I taught Chinese (and other) students ESL, their
> analysis of grammar and etymology was often superior
> to mine.  But none could say that they *knew* English
> better than me.
> 
> I think experience in other languages shows us that a
> person needs to "sit" in a language and "ingest" it;
> let it become a part of him/her for a while.  I used
> to go to a couple of Jerusalem parks and simply listen
> to the tones of modern Hebrew around me.  That way I
> learned vocabulary and grammar in context.  I engaged
> my mind, but also I sort of "felt" the language. 
> Before long I found myself chatting with the kids who
> were playing with my kids.  They were more gracious
> when I made mistakes, plus they would patiently work
> with me in their own tongue without changing to
> English if and when conversation lagged.
> 
> This is true of modern Hebrew.  Why can't something
> similar happen with biblical Hebrew?  Randall Buth's
> approach works on this premise.
> 
> B'SHALOM,
> 
> --Michael Millier
-- 
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