Skip to Content.
Sympa Menu

b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] Sukkot

b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org

Subject: Biblical Hebrew Forum

List archive

Chronological Thread  
  • From: "Barry H." <nebarry AT verizon.net>
  • To: "Hebrew List" <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Sukkot
  • Date: Sun, 19 Sep 2010 20:47:13 -0400


----- Original Message ----- From: "Isaac Fried" <if AT math.bu.edu>
To: "AMK Judaica" <amkjudaica AT hotmail.com>
Cc: "Hebrew List" <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Sunday, September 19, 2010 8:14 PM
Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Sukkot


In my humble opinion this quaint business of "gemination" is but a phantom of the imagination. I refuse to believe, not even for a moment, that the ancient Hebrews doubled in their mouth (and for what reason?) a consonant written only once, and even took the pain to mark this fantastic (and redundant) doubling by inserting an inner dot in the letter.
The text is with only one k and should be, methinks, so transliterated. If it pleases someone to "geminate", then he may do it, but he should know that no hebrew speaker does it, and he may sound not only funny but also annoying.

If the native speakers of the language want to do it, who are you to argue?

And how do you know that it was a phantom of the imagination? People since the time of the Masoretes thought that the consonants were doubled. How come you are right, and they are all wrong?

N.E. Barry Hofstetter, semper melius Latine sonat...
Classics and Bible Instructor, TAA
http://www.theamericanacademy.net
(2010 Savatori Excellence in Education Winner)
V-P of Academic Affairs, TNARS
bhofstetter AT tnars.net
http://www.tnars.net

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





Archive powered by MHonArc 2.6.24.

Top of Page