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b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] rightbrain shortcomings and Arabic reading

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  • From: K Randolph <kwrandolph AT gmail.com>
  • To: Randall Buth <randallbuth AT gmail.com>
  • Cc: Hebrew <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] rightbrain shortcomings and Arabic reading
  • Date: Wed, 1 Sep 2010 18:09:15 -0700

Randall:

On Wed, Sep 1, 2010 at 1:31 AM, Randall Buth <randallbuth AT gmail.com> wrote:

> I saw an interesting article on Arabic reading difficulties by mother-
> tongue Arabic speakers, in comparison to Hebrew and to English.
> Apparently, the right-brain cannot be utilized efficiently with the
> Arabic script and this causes some delays in learning to read.
>
> http://www.physorg.com/news202466251.html


They compared it with just Hebrew (presumably modern) and English. I wonder
how it compares with Chinese with its thousands of different characters? I
hear that in China, that about a third are functionally illiterate because
of those difficulties.

>
>
> This doesn't deal primarily with Hebrew, but seems close enough
> to the list to merit mention. It may also serve as a reminder that
> language -acquisition- is not primarily through reading.
>

What about languages where there are no native speakers, and haven’t been
for over 2,000 years, where all we know about it are the written records
that survive? Especially languages that are only imperfectly known? Can
over-reliance on cognate languages actually lead to situations in the long
run that much will have to be unlearned in order to get accurate
understanding of that language? I take as an example of that being Biblical
Hebrew, with the cognate languages being Mishnaic and later Hebrews.

>
> --
> Randall Buth, PhD
> www.biblicalulpan.org
> randallbuth AT gmail.com
> Biblical Language Center
> Learn Easily - Progress Further - Remember for Life
>
> Karl W. Randolph.




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