Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Isaac Fried <if AT math.bu.edu>]

1. I am not aware of the existence in Hebrew of "langue" and "parole".

2. It is crystal clear that "There is no "gemination" in spoken  
Hebrew". Why not? Because it is not needed.

2. I have never heard any spoken distinction between: -yamim (no  
gemination), days (Gn 4:3) and -yammim (gemination), seas (Ps 8:9).

3. You are right all these claims are merely "well-grounded  
traditions (TRADITIONS!) within the Hebrew grammar".

4. I am still waiting to see a good "proof", within the Hebrew  
language, for an earlier existence of this spoken "gemination" (no  
Arabic, please).

5. There is nothing academic about the Hebrew "Academy". It is a  
Rabbinical institution.

Isaac Fried, Boston University


On Oct 29, 2010, at 1:24 AM, Pere Porta wrote:

> (Isaac Fried)
> It does not exist in Hebrew. I never "geminate" anything, and I  
> have never heard other Hebrew speakers "geminate" anything. For what?
>
> (Pere Porta)
> We should carefully distingish, Isaac, between the "langue" and the  
> "parole" (Saussure). The theory of the language and the practice of  
> this language in everyday people's lives.
>
> Why do you say that gemination (dagesh) does not exist in Hebrew?  
> Because you never "geminate" anything?
>
> You'll at least agree with me that there is a great difference  
> between:
> -yamim (no gemination), days (Gn 4:3)
> and
> -yammim (gemination), seas (Ps 8:9)
>
> between:
> -kanim (no gemination), reeds (Ex 25:32)
> and
> -kannim (gemination), pedestals (not in the Bible). This is the  
> plural of 'ken' (1K 7:31).
>
> You often seem, Isaac, to be against many well-grounded traditions  
> within the Hebrew grammar...
>
> When you show your opposition to a given (language or grammar)  
> "custom", you should always CAREFULLY justify this opposition by  
> reasonning it, by bringing some examples in support of your  
> position, and so on...
>
> Some days ago you made a quite disrespectful statement towards the  
> Academy of the Hebrew Language. And I cannot accept this.
>
> I'm not a list Moderator, but.... please: either stop your often  
> repeated opposition (to this and to that and that...) or...  
> CAREFULLY JUSTIFY IT!
>
>
> Pere Porta
> (Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain)
>
>
>
>
> (Yigal Levin)
> The phenomenon of doubling ("gemination") consonants exists in all  
> Semitic languages.
>
>
> --
> Pere Porta