Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Peter Kirk <peter AT qaya.org>]

On 17/11/2005 23:38, Karl Randolph wrote:

> Peter:
>
> The "core meaning" (which I think you introduced in this 
> discussion) ...

I borrowed the term "core meaning" from Rolf because this was something 
we could agree on against you. But to me and I think to Rolf, the "core 
meaning" is does not necessarily correspond to the meaning of each 
individual occurrence. So finding some examples of non-eternal `olam (if 
there are any) would not demonstrate that the "core meaning" is not 
eternity.

> ... goes back to our discussions on whether or 
> not lexemes have basically one meaning or many. As for 
> me, I still maintain that lexemes have one basic meaning 
> for each time period, but that they can change over time. 
> Also we need to keep in mind complex lexemes (where 
> two or more lexemes used consistently together can have 
> its own meaning separate from each component lexeme) 
> and idiomatic phrases.
>
> That one meaning may have a broad semantic use, or 
> narrow one, or may even be a total subset of another one, 
> but that doesn't change the basic pattern.
>
> This is the way people use language.
>  

No it isn't, Karl. There are many English words which do not have a 
basic meaning in this sense. Think of "get" or "run", which by no means 
always mean anything like the possible "core meanings" "obtain" and 
"move fast with one's legs" respectively.

> Translators often find that the semantic range of one 
> lexeme in an originating language may overlap two or 
> more semantic ranges in a receiving language, hence an 
> accurate translation can use two or more lexemes to 
> render the meaning of the originating language. But that's 
> a problem of translation, not language use.
>  

I agree with you here, but it isn't a problem for me but a normal matter 
of translation. The only problem is that Rolf and others like him do not 
recognise that this is a problem.

> ...
>
> Likewise, I think your view of (WLM is too narrow.
>  

Maybe, but what is your evidence for that?

--
Peter Kirk
peter AT qaya.org (personal)
peterkirk AT qaya.org (work)
http://www.qaya.org/