Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Yitzhak Sapir <yitzhaksapir AT gmail.com>]

On 8/27/05, chioma yisrael wrote:
> I am studying the ancient biblical alphabet in a
> Biblical Studies course and would like to know what
> evidence points to the original Hebrew language. 

I think you are confusing "language" and "script".  Script generally has
a beginning, in that the "original" script is generally considered to be the
pictographic form.  Evidently, we can't date when language began, but
it's hard to imagine human societies without any form of language.  Now
consider that Hebrew language changes constantly over the 1000 years
from the earliest stages of the settlement in the Judaean and Israelite 
areas to the time of the Hasmoneans.  Which of the stages of Hebrew
spoken then is the "original" Hebrew?  There is no "original".  The
Hebrew of the Hasmoneans was no less "original" than the Hebrew of
Hezekiah.  

You might want to refer to the following links:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aramaic/message/645
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aramaic/message/653

Yitzhak Sapir