Biblical Hebrew Forum

[George Athas <George.Athas AT moore.edu.au>]

Isaac,

The list is aware of your take on doubling. You are, of course, entitled to 
your minority opinion. I would simply point you to how geminate roots work 
morphologically. If the dagesh forte does not double, then you have to 
explain why certain consonant inexplicably disappear. Take, for example, the 
forms of SBB ('to surround'). In many conjugations, both instances of beth 
are present (e.g.. Qal infinitive abs.), but in others, there is only one, 
and it carries dagesh forte (e.g. Qal imperative masc. pl.).

Doubling has explanatory power, and avoids the recourse to a highly 
questionable uniconsontal conceptualisation of the Hebrew language.



Regards,

GEORGE ATHAS
Moore Theological College (Sydney, Australia)
www.moore.edu.au