Biblical Hebrew Forum

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

For me, the points served the same function as the 
analytical lexicon which I had but which fell apart 
so I no longer have it: to remind me of grammatical 
lessons that I had forgotten. I used points for 
over 20 years. I wouldn’t know when to disagree 
with them had I not learned from them. Already 
before getting an electronic, unpointed text, I 
took to the practice of reading Tanakh with a card 
covering the points (I was using a paper Tanakh 
from Qoren). I don’t remember the last time I 
checked points. I have not checked them for at 
least the last few years.

As for the font I use, it is specifically geared 
towards the Online Bible program, it is not 
unicode. If I had my druthers, I would have it in a 
unicode “Phoenecian” font, connected to a text in 
the ancient Hebrew font that the Phoenecians took 
over, namely with only 22 letters. Does anyone know 
of any open source program that will create unicode 
fonts? The commercial programs cost $100s, not 
worth it for only one or two fonts. I can recompile 
my non-unicode font for Windows: but with Online 
Bible using an Aramaic font that is widely 
recognized, would anybody want mine?

Concerning the analytical lexicon: I discourage its 
use in Hebrew classes, but for after classes and 
for the autodictat, I would prefer to have people 
using it and reading Tanakh 15 minutes a day, than 
to have them get so frustrated about not being able 
to find words that they don’t even open the tome. 
Does anyone disagree with this?

Karl W. Randolph.

----- Original Message -----
From: Polycarp66 AT aol.com
> _________
> 
> I think most of us use a pointed text.  I must confess though that the 
> points 
> almost might as well not be there for all the attention I pay to them.  
> There 
> are times, however, when they come in handy.  I remember when I first 
> started 
> learning Hebrew I wouldn't have known what to do without them, but in time 
> they seem to be not so much a distraction or a cluttering up of the text 
> but 
> simply a part of the woodwork.  It is nice though to have the tradition to 
> fall 
> back on when a passage becomes a bit dicey.  For this reason alone I would 
> be 
> loathe to part with them.  
> 
> Regarding your font:  What font do you use?  Is there a comparable font for 
> Windows -- preferably, indeed almost mandatorily, a unicode font (I believe 
> you 
> said you use a MAC)?
> 
> gfsomsel
-- 
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