Biblical Hebrew Forum

[fred burlingame <tensorpath AT gmail.com>]

Hello Randall:

I have no problem changing the thread name. Please choose whatever name you
like.

I am interested in the entire package, (including its pieces and
parts), manifest as the leningrad codex; the letters, the words, the
punctuation marks, the vocalization marks, etc.

And the questions are few and simple, based on the apparent and ongoing loss
of the english language to most consumers of it.

1. could the general population of consumers of the leningrad
codex, message, read the text themselves, individually?

2. could the general population of consumers of the leningrad codex,
message, understand the text when someone read the text to them?

3. in the 10th century?

4. in the 5th century b.c.,; assuming a similar predecessor text existed?

I observe by way of comparison.
Can 13.4 million consumers of this text, read it today?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judaism

i don't think so. certainly not in america.

Can 2.2 billion adherents of this text, understand it, today, being read to
them?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity

i don't think so.

Can one percent of this number understand, upon hearing it? .... doubtful.

And therein lies the essence of the question. the big question. who is the
intended consumer of the text; stan the scholar (all 1,000 of them); or bill
the bricklayer (all 1 billion of them).

the testimony of the young generation of english language consumers who own
cell phones now, testifies strongly against it, the common consumption of
the masoretic text, then.

regards,

fred burlingame

On Wed, Dec 22, 2010 at 10:16 AM, Randall Buth <randallbuth AT gmail.com>wrote:

> I suggest changing the name of the name and asking a more
> specific question. It appears that you are not as much
> interested in the intent of marking the "te`amim"/accent/
> chants as the state of language use at one time or
> another.
>
> Randall Buth
>
> On Wed, Dec 22, 2010 at 6:40 AM, fred burlingame <tensorpath AT gmail.com>
> wrote:
> > Hello Randall;
> >
> > Thanks for your informative comments.
> >
> > I am glad to hear it.
> >
> > In my unscientific and limited experience here in america, some of the
> > persons who attend those kinds of synagogue services do not enjoy fluency
> in
> > the leningrad codex.
> >
> > And as we know, yiddish and modern hebrew differ substantially from
> > masoretic text.
> >
> > I also recall attending, many years ago, catholic services conducted
> > partially in the latin language. The congregrations, in my recollection,
> > could chant along with the priest some phrases in the latin language. But
> > their (and my) understanding of the latin vulgate or latin
> language bible?
> > ... that was a no go.
> >
> > regards,
> >
> > fred burlingame
> >
> > On Wed, Dec 22, 2010 at 12:03 AM, Randall Buth <randallbuth AT gmail.com>
> > wrote:
> >>
> >> > the biblical hebrew language, was its masoretic
> >> > text, created or intended for use and/or consumption by the general
> >> > population; by other than a relatively few highly trained scribes?
> >>
> >> this one's easy: the general population.
> >> Go listen to a shabbat morning reading where the particular, traditional
> >> intonation system is regularly used. listen to any bar-mistvah at that
> >> synagogue.
> >>
> >> --
> >> Randall Buth, PhD
> >> www.biblicalulpan.org
> >> randallbuth AT gmail.com
> >> Biblical Language Center
> >> Learn Easily - Progress Further - Remember for Life
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> b-hebrew mailing list
> >> b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
> >> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/b-hebrew
> >
> >
>
>
>
> --
>  Randall Buth, PhD
> www.biblicalulpan.org
> randallbuth AT gmail.com
> Biblical Language Center
> Learn Easily - Progress Further - Remember for Life
>