Biblical Hebrew Forum

[James Christian <jc.bhebrew AT googlemail.com>]

Hi

2010/1/23 Kevin Riley <klriley100 AT gmail.com>

> There is a question which, while slightly off-topic, does have a bearing on
> many of these discussions.  What would you accept as evidence for a
> knowledge of pronunciation that would allow these dead languages to be
> taught with a reasonable degree of accuracy?  If the only way we can know
> for certain how a language is pronounced is to record a sample and run it
> through sophisticated machinery, are we then left with having to say "We
> don't really know, and therefore can say nothing about the subject"?  Or is
> there a point when the weight of evidence - from various sources and
> disciplines - allows us to say "We are fairly sure that this is the case",
> even if we are met with the question "But all the speakers are dead, so how
> can you really know?"
>
>
Also good questions. Answers will be forth coming. But let's wait and hear
what Randall thinks his evidence for a model of Akkadian pronunciation is.
The list members will soon see that his logic is utterly circular.

James Christian