Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Ishinan" <ishinan AT comcast.net>]

Previously, I volunteered information about "Zaman" being a Semitic term and 
refuting the notion that it was a Persian loanword. However, regarding the 
current debate surrounding the topics of qohelet and Persian loanwords, I 
would like to inject the following:

It is a historical fact, backed by archeology, that  for a long time, as a 
result of its political domination and culture superiority, Persia was on the 
"giving" side of the neighboring peoples with respect to language. While 
Solomon's empire, though it is said to have stretched from the Euphrates in 
the north to the Red Sea in the south, is not mentioned in contemporary 
histories.

If anyone is interested in the topic of Persian loanwords in Hebrew & 
Aramaic, I suggest the following references: 

"Die Religionen Irans," p. 357 contains Iranian words in Hebrew and Aramaic 
(in general), in addition to Syriac.

For  Iranian loanwords in old Aramaic, see J. C. Greenfield's "Elr II", pp. 
256-59.

For Iranian loanwords in Middle Aramaic, see "Irano-Judaica studies relating 
to the Jewish contacts with Persian culture throughout the ages" by Shaul 
Shaked, pp. 259-61, in which he provides a list of such words according to 
Semantic categories.  Geo Widengren also compiled a list of Iranian loanwords 
in Mandean dialect of Aramaic. Kulturbegegnug, pp. 89-108.

Incidentally, six years ago, a member of this forum, Mr. Ian Young of Sydney 
University introduced a very similar topic:   "The Importance of Loanwords 
for Dating Biblical Hebrew Texts by "Eskhult, Mats." Pages 8-23 in Biblical 
Hebrew: Studies in Chronology and Typology Edited by Ian Young. London: T&T 
Clark, 2003." 

http://balshanut.wordpress.com/2008/08/05/eskhult-mats-the-importance-of-loanwords-for-dating-biblical-hebrew-texts-pages-8-23-in-biblical-hebrew-studies-in-chronology-and-typology-edited-by-ian-young-london-tt-clark-2003/

If Mr. Young is still a member of the group, it would be most interesting to 
hear his opinion on this subject.

Best regards

Ishinan Ishibashi