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b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] the little things

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Subject: Biblical Hebrew Forum

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  • From: K Randolph <kwrandolph AT gmail.com>
  • To: fred burlingame <tensorpath AT gmail.com>
  • Cc: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] the little things
  • Date: Sat, 6 Nov 2010 13:57:54 -0700

Fred:

On Fri, Nov 5, 2010 at 8:21 PM, fred burlingame <tensorpath AT gmail.com>wrote:

> Hello Karl:
>
>
> The unanimous opinion today seems to be; that the biblical hebrew language
> represents a wonderful creation of exceptional depth
>

Where do you get this idea?


> ... but now resting comfortably in a museum for all to see and study.
>

And this idea?

I don’t know anyone on this list or elsewhere who holds to either idea
above.

Time and time again my responses have been that your ideas are a little bit
strange.

>
> When I read abraham's biography below however; and when i listen to his
> tape recordings of his reading the language ...; it just doesn't sound like
> he treated the language as a museum piece; but rather, he had the language
> out on the playing field of his life ... and in actual use as a
> communication tool. It sounds like abraham and biblical hebrew equal: fish
> in water; bird in air; glove and hand.
>

Hebrew spoken from about 1500–600 BC just happens to be the language that
Tanakh was written in. Other languages could have been used, but weren’t.

If someone wants to understand Beowulf accurately, one should learn
Anglo-Saxon from about 800 AD, or Elizabethan English if one wants to
understand Shakespeare deeply, So likewise, if one wants to understand
Tanakh to the greatest depth, learn Biblical Hebrew. Just as there are about
500 words that have dropped out of use or changed meaning since Shakespeare
(saw this in an introductory of a modern translation) not counting subtle
changes in grammar, so later Hebrews have changed, and may give an incorrect
understanding.

>
> regards,
>
> fred burlingame
>
>
> Karl W. Randolph.




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