Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Kevin Riley" <klriley AT alphalink.com.au>]

>-----Original Message-----
>From: b-hebrew-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org
>[mailto:b-hebrew-bounces AT lists.ibiblio.org]On Behalf Of Darrell Smith
>
>From: George F Somsel <gfsomsel AT juno.com>
>
>BTW:  "Me Tarzan, you Jane.  Ugh!"  No, I don't think Hebrew is an
>artificial language.  If it were then other Semitic languages would need
>to be as well.
>
>DHS: Of course!  All the Semitic languages are from the same
>ancestoral language: proto-Hebrew. This language was still the
>language of Noah and his sons (Gen. 11:1). Read Gen chapter 10 and
>11. The non-Semitic languages were introduced as mixed-up
>confusing hodge-podges in Gen 11:7-8. Proto-Hebrew was preserved
>in the righteous line but as time progressed and the different
>Semite groups strayed from righteousness their tongues drifted
>from Hebrew proper. Nevertheless, all Semitic languages are direct
>descendants of Proto-Hebrew!
>
The Bible indicates that the ancestors of the Hebrews spoke Aramaic.  I
can't recall the reference of the text, but it says something like "my
father was a wandering Aramaean", and that is supported by 1. the fact that
the relatives of Abraham who did not go to Canaan [e.g. Laban] spoke Aramaic
and 2. that the Bible refers to Hebrew as 'the language of Canaan'.  Of
course, none of that argues against Hebrew being the oldest language, but it
does make it somewhat irrelevant.  I would like to see evidence for your
conclusions that are actually stated in the text of Genesis rather than
assumed by the reader.

Kevin Riley