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  • From: Martin Shields <enkidu AT bigpond.net.au>
  • To: Yigal Levin <leviny1 AT mail.biu.ac.il>
  • Cc: b-hebrew <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Aramaic - Abba
  • Date: Fri, 22 Jul 2005 22:54:47 +1000

Yigal,

Do we know how far back this usage can be traced?

I have heard the claim that Jesus' use of Abba should be understood as something equivalent to "dad", yet the Greek immediately offers pater (πατηρ; or more exactly ho pater ο πατηρ) as its "translation" of this word rather than one of the less formal Greek forms (such as pappas παππας). This, it seems to me, undermines the notion that Abba meant "dad" at this point in history. This prompts the question: did the "dad" meaning arise after that time?

Martin Shields,
Sydney, Australia.

On 22/07/2005, at 7:40 PM, Yigal Levin wrote:

In Aramaic, Abba means "father". The Hebrew equivilant is Ab (pronounced
Av). However since talmudic times, Jews have been using Abba as something
like "dad", and still do today.

The same, BTW, for Em (mother) and Ima (mom/mommy), Sav and Sabba
(grandfather vs. granddad). Savta (grandmother) is pronounced the same in
Hebrew and Aramaic and so is used for both "grandmother" and "grandma".






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