Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Uri Hurwitz <uhurwitz AT yahoo.com>]

Bryant J. Williams III   wrote, inter alia:
   
  "... but Arabic is too late
to be of any help in discerning the workings of the Hebrew language"...
   
   This statement does not to take into account that classical Arabic, though 
attested in writing only in the 7th century CE, has retained many features of 
an early Semitic language that eventually  evolved into various branches ; 
this early linguistic ancestor is known as Proto - Semitic.
   
     Just two examples which I may have mentioned on this list before: 
   
      Fem. Single endings in biblical Heb. lost its 'T', but  this letter 
exists in declensions  -- Dodah - Dodati etc.
   
       The so called L"H verbs in biblical Heb. actually had 'Y" as the final 
consonant, as can be seen in most conjugations of such verbs. This can be 
easily observed in similar verbs in Arabic.
   
      Arabic is essential for a full understanding of various features of 
Hebrew.
   
      Uri

   

                
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>From kwrandolph AT email.com  Tue Feb 14 14:00:20 2006
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From: "Karl Randolph" <kwrandolph AT email.com>
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Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] CV syllables, was music in Hebrew
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Bryant:

You're right, I let myself drift towards the=20
polemical writing of the 16th century. I should=20
just ignore certain people. Mea culpa.

As for the question of CV vs. CVC syllables, that=20
while I favor the theory that before the Exile that=20
Hebrew was spoken as a CV language, the evidence=20
just is NOT there to *prove* either way. I have=20
discussed this in greater detail in the past.

What neither side has mentioned is the possibility=20
that certain consonants always required a following=20
vowel, while others could close a syllable. If that=20
was the case, which were those consonants requiring=20
a following vowel, and which could close a syllable=20
and how could we tell?

Oh for a native speaker to interview!

Karl W. Randolph.

> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Bryant J. Williams III" <bjwvmw AT com-pair.net>
>=20
>=20
> Dear Yitzhak and Karl,
>=20
>=20
> I would appreciate if you both would stick to the subject matter at hand,=
 and
> STOP, the other remarks. It is unprofessional, unscholarly, and=20
> lacks integrity
> on both parties. If you disagree with what one is saying about CV=20
> endings versus
> CVC endings, then show the progression/evidence in a way that even a
> kindergartener can understand it (Remember KISS - Keep It Simple=20
> Stu...). If one
> is not able to show the progression/evidence, but can only give=20
> conjecture with
> the use of "may," "might," "could have," etc., then so be it and leave it=
 at
> that. But, at this time, it appears that both are talking past one anothe=
r.
>=20
> Peter may correct me if I am wrong, but all we have is the Hebrew text. U=
sing
> cognate languages can help in guiding us to a conclusion, but=20
> Arabic is too late
> to be of any help in discerning the workings of the Hebrew language. Aram=
aic,
> Ugaritic, etc., are closer and can be more useful. Furthermore, trying to=
 date
> portions of the Hebrew text based on pre-conceived notions as to=20
> when a text was
> written is clearly asking for trouble....
>=20
...
>=20
> If I have overstepped the limits of this thread and list protocol, since =
I am
> not a moderator, then I ask your forgiveness. That was surely not my inte=
nt.
>=20
A well spoken word, no forgiveness needed.

> Thank You En Xristwi,
>=20
> Rev. Bryant J. Williams III


--=20
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