Biblical Hebrew Forum

[K Randolph <kwrandolph AT gmail.com>]

Arnaud:

Since we are allowed one final posting on this thread, let me summarize what
I think of it.

Garth started out with an interesting question brought up by Blau on the
development of Hebrew language. The reason I found it interesting is because
it mirrors some of the thoughts and conclusions I have concerning change in
Hebrew from Biblical Hebrew before the Babylonian Exile, and Mishnaic Hebrew
of the Greek and Roman eras. While we disagree sharply on the timing of the
change, Garth’s description of Blau’s theory sounds recognizably similar to
my ruminations.

In short, I have raised the questions: what was the original pronunciation
of written Hebrew? Recorded history (assuming the Bible gives accurate
history) indicates that the Hebrews used the alphabet before the
Phoenicians, therefore the 22 letter alphabet accurately described the 22
consonantal phonemes that the ancient Hebrews recognized. Secondly I have
floated a trial balloon, was the alphabet originally a syllabary, with each
consonant followed by a vowel? And that it was changed to an alphabet by
dropping unstressed vowels, even changing some of the consonants to materes
lectionis by the same practice? While Blau, as I understand Garth’s summary
of his ideas, doesn’t seem to go as far as I, he does seem to touch on some
of the same ideas. I was hoping to discuss these ideas further.

I did not expect this discussion to morph to a discussion of scientific
method (scientists describe it in their textbooks, and that’s enough for me)
nor a defense of grammar as a description of observed linguistic patterns
(interesting you should mention Chinese—I speak Chinese, and I have read
grammars that don’t sound at all like the Chinese I hear spoken on the
street). I am willing to discuss these ideas more off list, but I agree with
the moderators that these ideas are not really germane to this thread.

In closing, I would like to discuss Blau’s theories more, but if we do, can
we keep it on topic?

Karl W. Randolph.

Ps: unfortunately, I’m too easily distracted and too quickly go off topic,
like a dog team that abandons the trail to follow a line of red herrings, so
if in the future I again get waylaid off topic, I won’t mind it at all if
someone comes and bonks me on the side of the head with a 2x4 saying, “Get
back on subject!” Thank you.