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  • From: "Barry" <nebarry AT verizon.net>
  • To: <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Ruth
  • Date: Thu, 20 May 2010 23:00:07 -0400


----- Original Message ----- From: "K Randolph" <kwrandolph AT gmail.com>
To: "B-Hebrew" <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Thursday, May 20, 2010 7:34 PM
Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Ruth


As for “first year lies” (a phrase I to which I was introduced on this list,
I don’t remember who taught it to me), I was taught that Hebrew followed
certain grammar, syntax and spelling rules, and all the examples in the text
books followed those rules. Later, when I started reading Tanakh for myself,
cover to cover, I was in for a shock—those rules were often violated. I had
to learn a new set of rules to fit the data before my eyes.

My criticism in this particular example (not by any means for anything with
which I disagree) was that you seem to insist that Hebrew follow those rules
as taught in first year class, rather than how the language is actually used
in Tanakh.

Beginning grammars always present an ideal version of the languages for didactic purposes, usually using particular authors. For beginning Latin it's Caesar and Cicero with a dash of Vergil for flavor. For beginning (Classical) Greek it's usually Xenephon and Plato. What beginning grammars can't communicate is the licence that individual authors use with the languages. But this freedom is usually stylistic, lexical selection, idiomatic phrases. You never see violation of basic grammar, such as subject verb agreement, and forth.

So, what are the models for the ideal grammer of biblical hebrews.

N.E. Barry Hofstetter
Classics and Bible Instructor, TAA
http://www.theamericanacademy.net
(2010 Savatori Excellence in Education Winner)
Mentor, TNARS
http://www.tnars.net

http://my.opera.com/barryhofstetter/blog
http://mysite.verizon.net/nebarry





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