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b-hebrew - Re: [b-hebrew] Vav Nun Suffix

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Subject: Biblical Hebrew Forum

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  • From: Isaac Fried <if AT math.bu.edu>
  • To: "Arnaud Fournet" <fournet.arnaud AT wanadoo.fr>
  • Cc: Hebrew List <b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Vav Nun Suffix
  • Date: Sat, 20 Nov 2010 19:59:22 -0500

1. I think that what you mean by "vocabulary" is the root stock of the Hebrew language. I believe that the multi-consonantal Hebrew root is a merger of uni-consonantal roots.

2. I don't "decree" anything, I merely express my belief that the I and U (also E and O) sounds in the Hebrew word are identity markers. The ancient Hebrews did not waste the I and U sounds just for twitting and tutting like birds.

3. The ancient Hebrews did not construct their language by means of "prefixes", "infixes" and "suffixes".

4. The Hebrew language is "primitive" in the sense that in it word = root + identity markers. Nothing can be simpler, or more "primitive", than that.

Isaac Fried, Boston University

On Nov 20, 2010, at 4:42 AM, Arnaud Fournet wrote:


----- Original Message ----- From: "Isaac Fried" <if AT math.bu.edu>
To: "Arnaud Fournet" <fournet.arnaud AT wanadoo.fr>
Cc: "Pere Porta" <pporta7 AT gmail.com>; "Hebrew List" <b- hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Thursday, November 18, 2010 5:27 PM
Subject: Re: [b-hebrew] Vav Nun Suffix


In any event, language developed spontaneously and by agreement (no books nor schools) by "simple" people and hence "primitive" languages like Hebrew must have (or have had) a very simple logical inner structure.
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I really do not see any reason to think Hebrew is "primitive".
Even though the bulk of vocabulary of Ancient Hebrew may be small, especially when compared to classical Arabic, this is probably caused by the nature of the documentation, not a feature of the language per se.
A.
***


In my opinion Hebrew is basically a primeval language that has retained this fundamental "grammar": word = root + identifiers (personal pronouns). The identifiers were the sounds I and U.
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There's nothing fundamental in that typology.
This is just something you decree.
In addition vocalic schemes amount to infixes, and infixes are a complex feature.
A.
***


There is, and there can't be, anything "deeper".

Isaac Fried, Boston university
***
"there can't be".
ok => decree

Arnaud Fournet





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