Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Darrell Smith <Darrell.H.Smith AT sceptreofjudah.org>]

: George F Somsel <gfsomsel AT juno.com>

> 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!



This just is not true.  Akkadian was the earliest recorded Semitic 
language. Protosemitic divided into geographic divisions and Northwest 
Semitic consisted of Aramaic, Canaanite and Ugaritic. Ugaritic is 
important in the development of proto-Sinaitic and Canaanite and the 
evolution of these languages produced Phoenician, Hebrew and Moabite.  
You need to explain to me what "proto-Hebrew" is. 

Jack


Perhaps I should have said: "the language of Noah and his sons, Shem in 
particular."  I.e., the ancestor of all the Semitic languages rather 
than "proto-Hebrew".  Also, a key word in your statement above is 
"recorded".  Remember, the righteous line of descendants from Adam has 
always been a remnant, a small election from the total populace, a 
peculiar and often obscure people overshadowed by the great kingdoms and 
affairs of man.

Now if a person chooses not to believe the historical accuracy of the 
Bible, one could say their appears to be a common theme in the Semitic 
languages which suggests that they have a common ancestor.  It even 
appears that the ancestoral language used the verbal meanings of the 
consonants from which to generate a general meaning of a verbal root -- 
all logically arranged.

For instance,  /mlk/  'waters tongue-out grasp'.  Waters represent a 
particulate fluid medium, either physical or mental (i.e. thoughts and 
ideas or even spoken words).  Grasp repesents crushing, handling, 
siezing (by the hand or foot).  Hence a ruler's spoken thoughts  control 
physical activity. That is what a king does.

/hlk   /is 'inside tongue-out grasp',  from the inside (or center) 
tongue out and grasp.  This describes the physical action of walking, 
the leg is extended from the center of the body (like a tongue) to 
extend the foot which grasps the ground.

I admit, this isn't rocket science.  The meanings are general with a 
wide range of specific possibilities. But it is apparent that there is a 
logic to it, even though tenuous.

Darrell