Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Yaakov Stein <yaakov_s AT rad.com>]

> Actually, the same problem could happen with ink.
> I've read the theory that those eastern peoples originally wrote with their 
> left hand, but I find that theory illogical. 

It is indeed natural for languages that were originally chiseled with the 
right hand holding the hammer
go from right to left.

Languages originally impressed on clay tablets can go any direction (even top 
to bottom).

Languages originally quilled should go from left to right, 
as otherwise a right-handed scribe will smear the ink with his hand as he 
writes.

Of course Arabic cursive writing is an exception, it development being rather 
late.

Yaakov (J) Stein